NAUTICAL  MONOGRAPHS,  No.  5 


GREAT  STORM 


OFF  THE 


ATLANTIC  COAST  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 

MARCH  11-14,  1888 


LIBRARY 


i        V 


UNIVERSITY   OF  CALIFORNIA. 

GIF"T    OF 


Received 

Accessions  -/Vb.c^^^j^       Shelf  No. 


-8$ 


(?  <  ilili/niii'irj.)    Of 


t.  &. 


o 


a 


a 


G.  L.  DYER.  LIEUTENANT,  U.  S.  N., 

Hydrographer  to  the  Bureau  of  Navigation. 


THE  GREAT  STORM 


OFF   THE 


ATLANTIC  COAST  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES 


11-14,  1888. 


BY 


EVEEETT  HAYDEN, 

IN   CHARGE   OF   THE    DIVISION   OF   MARINE    METEOROLOGY. 


WASHINGTON: 
GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE. 

1888. 


3540  si 


A- 


PREFACE. 


The  accompanying  monograph  gives  a  brief  but  concise  account  of  one  of  the  most  notable 
storms  of  this  century.  In  its  preparation  the  primary  object  has  been  to  preserve  the  principal 
facts  in  a  clear  and  intelligible  form  for  such  deductions  as  can  be  drawn  from  them  hereafter. 
The  work  was  commenced  under  the  supervision  of  Commander  J.  R.  Bartlett,  U.  S.  Navy,  who 
saw  the  importance  of  publishing,  whenever  possible,  all  data  relative  to  marine  meteorology  in 
order  to  make  them  accessible  to  meteorologists  for  study  and  to  contributing  navigators,  who 
naturally  look  for  some  return  for  their  observations  and  reports.  With  this  object  in  view,  efforts 
have  been  made  to  put  the  Division  of  Marine  Meteorology  upon  a  footing  commensurate  with  the 
importance  of  the  subject,  and  at  the  same  time  to  insure  a  certain  amount  of  continuity  in  the 
services  of  its  personnel,  without  which  the  successful  prosecution  of  the  study  of  the  subject  is 
impossible.  The  support  of  Commodore  John  G.  Walker,  U.  S.  Navy,  chief  of  Bureau  of  Navi- 
gation, who  has  cordially  approved  of  every  effort  to  increase  the  efficiency  and  usefulness  of  the 
Hydrographic  Office,  both  to  the  naval  service  and  to  the  merchant  marine,  has  rendered  it  pos- 
sible to  carry  these  plans  into  effect,  although  the  field  covered  is  so  vast  that  long  continued  and 
persistent  effort  will  be  necessary  to  secure  a  really  effective  organization.  It  will,  therefore,  be 
understood  that  this  account  has  been  prepared  under  certain  difficulties  which  have  delayed  its 
publication,  but  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  not  diminish  its  value.  Mr.  Everett  Hayden,  U.  S.  Navy, 
the  author  of  this  monograph,  as  chief  of  the  Division  of  Marine  Meteorology,  is  the  editor  of  the 
Pilot  Chart  of  the  North  Atlanic  Ocean.  In  addition  to  the  regular  four  years'  course  of  study 
at  the  U.  S.  Naval  Academy  and  three  years'  experience  at  sea,  he  has  had  a  tour  of  duty  at  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  Washington,  and  has  served  with  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  and  at  the 
observatory  of  Harvard  University.  His  assistants  have  been  Ensign  Ernest  Wilkinson,  U.  S. 
Navy,  and  Messrs.  O'Leary,  Lerch,  and  Duttou,  all  graduates  of  the  Naval  Academy. 

GEORGE  L.  DYER, 
Lieutenant,  U.  S.  -.Vary,  Hydrographer. 

3 


WEATHER  CHART.—  MARCH  11. 


Meteorological  conditions  at  noon,  Greenwich  mean  time    7  A.  M.r  75th  meridian  time). 


/          I  /  /  / 

'         232       30lC        ,'       J«f2          y»% 


£< 


A?.'1 


Barometer. — Isobars  in  full  black  lines  for  each  tenth  of  an  inch,  reduced  pressure.     The  trough  of  low  barometer  is  shown  by  a  line  of  dashes. 
Temperature. — Isotherms  in  dotted  black  lines  for  each  ten  degrees  Fahr.     Temperatures  below  freezing  (32°  F.)  in  shades  of  blue,  and  above  freezing  in  red. 
Wind. — The  small  black  arrows  flv  with  the  wind  at  the  ]>osition  where  each  is  plotted.     The  force  of  wind  is  indicated  in  a  general  wav  bv  the  number  of  feathers 
on  the  arrows,  according  to  the  scale  given  in  the  following  table: 


PLOTTED  OH 
CHABT. 

FORCE.  BY  SCALES  IN  PRACTICAL  USE. 

POUNDS  PKR 
SQUARE  FOOT. 

MILES  PER  ROCR. 

KlLOXETERS   PER 
HOUR. 

METERS  PER 

SECOND. 

0—13 

0—10 

0  —  8 

0  —  7 

0  —  6 

0       Calm. 

0 

li 

0 

0 

0 

0. 

0. 

0. 

0. 

.  ••       1 

1  —    8 

1  -    3 

1 

1  —  2 

1 

0.        —        .40 

0.     —    ». 

0.    —    14.4 

0.    -    4. 

>  i 

3—4 

3—4 

1 

3  —  4 

8 

0.41  —    2.53 

9.1  —  28.  5 

14.5  -    «.» 

4.1  —  10.1 

>*  3 

5—7 

5—6 

3  —  4 

5 

3 

2.54  —    8.90 

22.  «  —  40.9 

36.3  —    K.I 

10.8  —  18.1 

»  »        4 

8  —  10 

7—8 

5  -  6 

6 

4—5 

8.21  —  MO) 

40.6  —  67.5 

65.3  —  10*1,7 

18.3  —  80.1 

»        >        5 

11  —  ri 

9  -  10 

7  —  8 

7 

6 

2S.  81  and  over. 

67.6  and  over. 

106.8  and  O'er. 

30.2  and  over. 

It  will  l>e  noticed  that  the  Beaufort  scale  (0-12),  in  general  use  at  sea,  has  been  converted  into  the  international  scale  (0-10)  for  the  sake  of  clearness  in  plotting  data 
on  the  chart.  The  absence  of  arrows  over  large  areas  indicates  absence  of  simultaneous  data;  at  sea,  however,  this  has  been  partly  compensated  for  in  the  construction 
of  the  chart  l>y  mforrnation  obtained  from  journals  and  special  storm  reports  of  vessels  in  the  vicinity. 


WEATHER  CHART.— MARCH  12. 


Meteorological  conditions  at  noon,  Greenwich  mean  time  (7  A.  M.,  75th  meridian  time). 


Y     /+       /      X..--//7 
' 

I      / 


Barometer. — Isobars  in  full  black  lines  for  each  tenth  of  an  inch,  reduced  pressure.     The  trough  of  low  barometer  is  shown  by  a  line  of  dashes. 
Temperature. — Isotherms  in  dotted  black  lines  for  each  ten  degrees  Fahr.     Temperatures  below  freezing  (32°  F.)  in  shades  of  blue,  and  above  freezing  in  red. 
Wind. — The  small  black  arrows  fly  with  the  wind  at  the  position  where  each  is  plotted.     The  force  of  wind  is  indicated  in  a  general  way  by  the  number  of  feathers 
on  the  arrows,  according  to  the  scale  given  in  the  following  table : 


PLOTTED  ON 
CHABT. 

FORCE.  BT 

SCALES  IN  PRACTICAL  CSE. 

POUNDS  PEE 
SQUARE  FOOT. 

MILKS  PER  HOI-R. 

KILOMETERS  PEE 

HOUR. 

KERBS  PER 

SECOND. 

0—12 

0—10 

0-8 

0  —  7                   0  —  6 

O       Calm. 

I 

o 

0 

0                            0 

o 

0. 

0.                                  0. 

J  2 

3—4 

i  —  a 

3—4 

1 

2 

1  —  2                   1 
3  —  4                   2 

0.      —       .40 
0.41  —    2.  58 

0.     _    .. 
S.I  —  2S.5 

n.    —    14.4 
14.5  —    ».» 

0.      —     4. 
4.1  —  10.1 

>  "         3 

-">  —     7 

5—6 

3  —  4 

5                            8 

2.54  —    8.30 

2«.«  —  40.5 

36.3  —    65.2 

10.2  —  18.1 

»  4 

8—10 

7—8 

5  —  6 

6                            4  —  5 

8.M  —  2B.W             40.6  —  «7.5 

«5.3  —  108.7 

18.2  —  80.1 

X          •          i 

11  —  12 

9—10 

7  —  8 

-                            6 

1 

2S.D1  and  over. 

67.6  and  over. 

108.8  mnd  orer. 

30.2  and  over. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  Beaufort  scale  (0-12),  in  general  use  at  sea,  has  been  converted  into  the  international  scale  (0—10)  for  the  sake  of  clearness  in  plotting  data 
on  the  chart.  The  absence  of  arrows  over  large  areas  indicates  absence  of  simultaneous  data;  at  sea,  however,  this  has  been  partly  compensated  for  in  the  construction 
of  the  chart  by  information  obtained  from  journals  and  ?pecial  storm  reports  of  vessels  in  the  vicinity. 


WEATHER  CHART.— MARCH  13. 

Meteorological  conditions  at  noon,  Greenwich  mean  time  (7  A.  H.,  75th  meridian  time). 


i    fV 

\      I     I       V          /     /     / 


Barometer. — Isobars  in  full  black  lines  for  each  tenth  of  an  inch,  reduced  pressure.     Tb«  trough  of  low  barometer  is  shown  by  a  line  of  dashes. 
Temperature. — Isotherms  in  dotted  black  lines  for  each  ten  degrees  Fahr.     Temperatures  below  freezing  (32°  F.)  in  shades  of  blue,  and  above  freezing  in  red. 
Wind. — The  small  black  arrows  fly  with  the  wind  at  the  position  where  each  is  plotted.     The  force  of  wind  is  indicated  in  a  general  way  by  the  number  of  feathers 
on  the  arrows,  according  to  the  scale  given  in  the  following  table : 


PLOTTED  ON 
CHAKT. 

FORCE.  BY  SULKS  is  PEACTICIL  csa. 

POUNDS  PEE 
SOCABI  TOOT. 

MILES  PEE  HOC* 

KILOMETERS  PEE 

HOUR. 

: 

Kims  PEE 

SECOND. 

.-,,. 

•  -10 

0  —  8                   0  —  7 

0  —  ( 

O        Calm 
.  ••         1 

0                              0 
1—2                   1—2 

0                            0 
1                             1—2 

0 
1 

0. 
0.      —       .40 

0. 
0.    —    9. 

« 
0.     —    14.4 

« 

0.     -     4. 

'  »       i 

3—4                   S  —    4                   2                               J  —  4 

t 

0.41  —    8.58 

9.1  —  22.5 

14.5  —    M.2 

4.1  —  10.1 

»  »         8                  3  —    - 

5—6                 3  —  4                   5                            ( 

2.54  —    8.80 

K.t  —  40.5 

M.S—    692 

10.2  —  18.1 

»  »         4                    8—10 

7—8 

5  —  6                   t                            4  —  5 

8.S1  —  88.90 

40.  «  —  «7  .5 

65.  1  —  108.7 

18.2  —  SO.l 

»  —  *      ••>            11  —  12 

9-10 

7  —  8                   7 

t 

22.91  and  over.           97.6  and  over. 

108.8  and  o»w 

80  .  2  and  over. 

It  will  he  noticed  that  the  Beaufort  scale  (0-12),  in  general  use  at  sea,  has  been  converted  into  the  international  scale  (0-10)  for  the  sake  of  clearness  in  plotting  data 
on  the  chart.  The  absence  of  arrows  over  large  areas  indicates  absence  of  .simultaneous  data;  at  sea.  however,  this  has  been  partly  compensated  for  in  the  construction 
of  the  chart  I iy  information  obtained  from  journals  and  special  storm  reports  of  vessels  in  the  vicinity 


WEATHER  CHART.--MARCH  14. 

Meteorological  conditions  at  noon,  Greenwich  mean  time    7  A.  M.,  75th  meridian  time). 


Barometer. — Isobars  in  full  black  lines  for  each  tenth  of  an  inch,  reduced  pressure.     The  trough  of  low  barometer  is  shown  by  a  line  of  dashes. 
Temperature. — Isotherms  in  dotted  black  lines  for  each  ten  degrees  Fahr.     Temperatures  below  freezing  (32°  F.)  in  shades  of  blue,  and  above  freezing  in  red. 
Wind.— The  small  black  arrows  fly  with  the  wind  at  the  position  where  each  is  plotted.     The  force  of  wind  is  indicated  in  a  general  way  by  the  number  of  feathers 
on  the  arrows,  according  to  the  scale  given  in  the  following  table: 


PLOTTED  OK 
CHART. 

FORCE,  BY 

SCALES  IK  PRACTICAL  me. 

Poems  rat 

SQUARE  FOOT. 

MILES  pxa  HOCK. 

KILOMETERS  PER 

HOUR. 

METERS  PER 

SECOHD. 

0—12                 u  —  10 

0  —  8                   0—7 

0  —  « 

O      Calm. 

a 

1-2                  1—2 
3—4                 3—4 

0                            0 
1                             1—8 
2                            3  —  4 

0 
1 
2 

0. 
0.        —        .40 
0.41  —    Z.5S 

0. 
0.    —    t. 
t.l  —  ±5.5 

0. 
0.     —    14.4 
14.5  —    M.i 

0. 
0.    —    4. 

4.1  —  10.1 

»  3 

.-,  -     7                   3-6 

3  —  4                   5                            t 

8.54  —    8.SO 

22.  «  —  40.5 

M.I  —    65.! 

10.»  —  18.1 

»  "        4 

8  —  10                 7—8 

5  —  «                   « 

4  —  5 

8.S1  —  M.»0 

40.  «  —  «7.5 

85.3  —  108.7 

18.9  —  90.1 

*  *        5 

11  -                       9—10 

7-6                   7 

1 

6 

29.91  and  over. 

67.t  and  over. 

108.8  and  over. 

30.  2  and  over. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  Beaufort  scale  (0-12),  in  general  use  at  sea,  has  been  converted  into  the  international  scale  (0-10)  for  the  sake  of  clearness  in  plotting  data 
on  the  chart.  The  absence  of  arrows  over  large  areas  indicates  absence  of  simultaneous  data ;  at  sea,  however,  this  has  been  partly  compensated  for  in  the  construction 
of  the  chart  by  information  obtained  from  journals  and  special  storm  reports  of  vessels  in  the  vicinity. 


TRACK  CHART. 

Positions  of  the  trough  of  low  barometer  and  tracks  of  Te»«l»,  March  11-14,  1888. 


C~~"      TOCNDLAWD 

\.-M~~J<~-~-JV- 


5??^S 


Positions  at  7  A.  M.    Greenwich  noon)  are  indicated  on  the  chart  by  a  point;  at  noon,  ship's  time,  by  a  small  circle. 

Black. — The  line  of  dashes  indicates  the  position  of  the  trough  of  low  barometer,  or  the  line  of  sudden  change  from  easterly  to  westerly  winds,  with  brief  intervals 
of  calm,  shifts  of  wind  in  heavy  squalls  of  rain  or  snow,  colder,  and,  finally,  clearing  weather. 

Red. — Positions  and  names  of  land  stations  and  names  and  tracks  of  vessels  plotted  in  red  are  those  whose  barometer  curves  are  shown  in  the  accompanying 
Barometer  Diagram. 

Bine. — The  tracts  of  certain  other  vessels  from  which  storm  reports  have  been  received  are  plotted  in  blue.  In  addition  tit  these,  however,  storm  reports  have  been 
received  from  the  following  vessels,  omitted  from  the  chart  in  order  to  avoid  confusion : 

TraneaUantif  fieam*hipt,  ttttgrtran?  bound:  Glendevon,  Lydian  Monarch,  St.  Ronans,  Werra. 

Goatling  tleamthipe,  bound  touth:  El  Monte.  Morgan  City,  New  Orleans.     Bound  north:  Newport. 

Sailing  rttttis  of  the  toad  from  Montaut  point  to  cape  Canaveral:  Spartan,  Charles  H.  Marshall,  Caprice,  Coryphene,  Phebe,  Isaac  Orbeton,  John  H.  Krantz, 
Arcot,  Iroquois,  Welaka,  Serene,  Warren  B.  Potter,  Normandy,  Lottie  Stewart,  Melissa  Trask,  Wilhelm  Birkedal,  Johanna,  James  S.  Stone,  Anita. 


BAROMETER  DIAGRAM. 


Illustrating  the  fluctuations  of  the  barometer  from  noon,  March  11,  to  noon,  March  14  (75th  meridian  time). 


Barometer  Curves. — As  it  is  only  practicable  to  illustrate  graphically  the  barometer  record*  of  a  few  vessels  and  land  stations,  the  following  have  been  selected 
being  of  special  interest;  the  small  circles  mark  the  points  of  observation  : 


SIGNAL  STATIONS. 


Norfolk. 
Hatteras 
Atlantic  City. 
New  York. 
Block  Island. 
Nantucket. 
Yarmouth,  N.  S. 


VESSELS. 

British  steamship  Andes. 
American  schooner  Kensett. 
British  steamship  Lord  Clive. 
American  schooner  Lida  Fowler. 
American  schooner  George  Walker. 
British  steamship  Serapis. 
British  ship  Glenburn. 


Barometer  Normal. — The  barometer  normal  for  the  5°-square  from  latitude  35°  to  40°  N.,  longitude  65°  to  70°  W.,  assumed  for  the  present  purpose  as  the 
normal  for  the  entire  area,  is  29.98,  and  is  indicated  by  the  blue  line  on  the  diagram. 

The  positions  of  the  above-mentioned  signal-stations  and  the  tracks  of  these  seven  vessels  are  all  indicated  in  red  on  the  accompanying  Track  Chart.  This  diagram 
should  therefore  be  studied  in  connection  with  the  chart,  in  order  to  form  a  clear  idea  of  the  general  eastward  movement  of  the  trough  of  low  barometer,  and  the  accom- 
panying rapid  deepening  of  the  depression  upon  reaching  the  coast. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


Pmge. 

Preface 3 

Plates : 

Four  weather  charts,  March  11,  12, 13,  and  14 4 

One  track  chart 4 

One  barometer  diagram 4 

Chapter      I.  Introduction 7 

II.  March  11,  7  a.  m 9 

III.  Meteorological  conditions  off  the  coast 10 

IV.  The  night  of  March  11-12 13 

V.  March  12 18 

VI.  March  13  and  14 20 

VII.  The  use  of  oil  to  prevent  heavy  seas  from  breaking 24 

VIII.  Conclusion 28 

Appendix : 

Miscellaneous  meteorological  data..... 33 

Wreckage  along  tlie  coast 37 

Detailed  storm  reports 40 

Greenwich  noon  observations 56 

Index  to  names  of  vessels -  64 


CHAPTER  I. 


INTRODUCTION. 

The  history  of  a  great  ocean  storm  can  not  be  written  with  any  completeness  until  a  long  inter- 
val of  time  has  elapsed,  when  the  meteorological  observations  taken  on  board  hundreds  of  vessels 
of  every  nationality,  scattered  over  the  broad  expanse  of  ocean,  and  bound,  many  of  them,  for 
far  distant  ports,  can  be  gathered  together,  compared,  and,  where  observations  seem  discordant, 
rigidly  analyzed  and  the  best  data  selected.  It  is  only  wh  n  based  upon  such  a  foundation  that 
the  story  can  fully  deserve  the  title  of  history,  and  not  romance  —  fact,  and  not  hypothesis.  At 
best  there  must  be  wide  areas  where  the  absence  of  vessels  will  forever  leave  some  blank  pages 
in  this  history,  while  elsewhere,  along  the  great  highways  of  ocean  traffic,  the  data  are  absolutely 
complete.  Last  August  a  tropical  hurricane  of  tenific  violence  swept  in  toward  onr  coast  from 
between  Bermuda  and  the  Bahamas,  curved  to  the  northward  off  Hatteras,  and  continued  its  de- 
structive course  past  the  Grand  Banks  toward  Northern  Europe.  Hundreds  of  reports  from  mas- 
ters of  vessels  enabled  us  accurately  to  plot  its  track,  a  great  parobolic  curve  tangent  to  St. 
Thomas.  Hatteras,  Cape  Race,  and  the  northern  coast  of  Norway.  Six  months  later  a  report  for- 
warded by  the  British  meteorological  office,  from  a  vessel  homeward  bound  from  the  equator, 
indicated  that  it  originated  far  to  the  eastward,  off  the  coast  of  Africa;  and  only  the  other  day  the 
log  of  the  British  ship  Glenburn,  Captain  Johansen,  at  New  York,  March  30,  from  Calcutta, 
supplied  data  by  means  of  which  the  storm  track  can  be  traced  still  more  accurately  westward  of 
the  Cape  Verde  islands.  Not  only  that,  but  this  same  vessel  on  the  llth  of  March  was  about  500 
miles  to  the  eastward  of  Bermuda,  and  while  the  great  storm  was  raging  between  Hatteras  and 
bandy  Hook  was  traversing  a  region  to  the  northeastward  of  Bermuda,  from  which  our  records 
are  as  yet  very  incomplete.  It  will  thus  be  clearly  understood  that  while  the  most  earnest  efforts 
have  been  made  not  only  to  collect  and  utilize  all  available  information  but  to  be  careful  and  cau- 
tious in  generalizing  from  the  data  at  hand,  yet  this  study  must  be  considered  as  only  preliminary 
to  an  exhaustive  treatise  based  on  more  complete  data  than  it  is  now  possible  to  obtain. 

Four  charts  have  been  prepared  to  illustrate  the  m<  teorological  conditions  within  the  area  from 
i'."P  to  ."HP  north  latitude,  50°  to  85°  west  longitude,  at  7  a.  in.,  seventy-filth  meridian  time,  March 
11,  12,  13,  and  14,  respectively.  Data  for  laud  stations  have  been  taken  from  the  daily  weather 
maps  published  by  the  U.  S.  Signal  Service,  and  the  set  of  tri  daily  maps  covering  the  period  of 
the  great  storm  has  been  invaluable  for  reference  throughout  this  discussion.  Marine  data  are 
from  reports  of  marine  meteorology  made  to  this  office  by  masters  of  vessels,  and  not  only  from 
vessels  within  the  area  charted,  but  from  many  others  just  beyond  its  limits.  The  refined  and  ac- 
curate observations  taken  with  standard  instruments  at  the  same  moment  of  absolute  time  all  over 
the  United  States  by  the  skilled  observers  of  the  Signal  Service,  together  with  those  contributed 
to  the  H\  drographic  Office  by  the  voluntary  co-operation  of  masters  of  vessels  of  every  nationality, 
and  taken  with  instruments  compared  with  standards  at  the  branch  hydrograpLic  offices  imme- 
diately upon  arrival  in  port,  make  it  safe  to  say  that  never  have  the  data  been  so  complete  and 
reliable  for  such  a  discussion  at  such  an  early  date. 

It  will  not  be  out  of  place  briefly  to  refer  here  to  certain  principles  of  meteorology  that  are 
essential  to  a  clear  understanding  of  what  follows.  The  general  atmospheric  movement  in  these 


T7IHVERSIT7 


8  *    tfHE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

latitudes  is  from  west  to  east,  aiid  by  far  the  greater  proportion  of  all  the  areas  of  low  barometer, 
or  centers  of  more  or  less  perfectly  developed  wind  systems,  that  traverse  the  United  States  move 
along  paths  which  cross  the  Great  Lakes,  and  thence  reach  out  over  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence 
across  the  Atlantic  toward  Iceland  and  northern  Europe.  Another  very  characteristic  storm  path 
may  also  be  referred  to  in  this  connection,  the  curved  track  along  which  West  Indian  hurricanes 
travel  up  the  coast.  The  atmospheric  movement  in  the  tropics  is,  generally  speaking,  westward,  but 
a  hurricane  starting  on  a  westward  track  soon  curves  off  to  the  northwest  and  north,  and  then, 
getting  into  the  general  eastward  trend  of  the  temperate  zone,  falls  into  line  and  moves  off  to  the 
northeast,  circling  about  the  area  of  high  barometer  which  so  persistently  overhangs  the  Azores 
and  a  great  elliptical  area  to  the  southwestward.  The  circulation  of  the  wind  about  these  areas 
of  low  barometer  and  the  corresponding  changes  of  temperature  are  indicated  graphically  on  the 
daily  weather  map;  the  isobars,  or  lines  of  equal  barometric  pressure,  are,  as  a  rule,  somewhat 
circular  in  form,  and  the  winds  blow  about  and  away  from  an  area  of  "high"  in  a  direction  with 
the  hands  of  a  watch  (in  nautical  parlance,  "with  the  sun"),  toward  and  about  "low,"  with  an  op- 
posite rotary  motion,  or  against  the  hands  of  a  watch ;  in  front  of  a  "  low"  there  will  therefore  be, 
in  general,  warm  southeasterly  winds,  and  behind  it  cold  northwesterly  winds,  the  resulting 
changes  of  temperature  being  shown  by  the  isotherms,  or  lines  of  equal  temperature.  Moreover, 
in  a  cyclonic  system  of  this  kind  the  westerly  winds  are  generally  far  stronger  than  the  easterly 
winds,  the  motion  of  the  whole  system  from  west  to  east  increasing  the  apparent  force  of  the 
former  and  decreasing  that  of  the  latter.  Upon  reaching  the  coast  such  areas  of  low  barometer, 
or  storm  systems,  almost  invariably  develop  a  great  increase  of  energy,  largely  due  to  the  moisture 
in  the  atmosphere  overhanging  the  ocean,  which,  when  the  air  is  chilled  by  contact  with  the  cold, 
dry  air  rushing  in  from  the  "  high,"  is  precipitated  and  becomes  visible  in  the  form  of  clouds,  with 
rain  or  snow.  The  latent  heat  liberated  by  the  condensation  of  this  aqueous  vapor  plays  a  most 
important  part  in  the  continuance  of  the  storm's  energy,  and  indeed  in  its  increase  of  energy; 
the  warm,  li  ht  air,  flowing  in  toward  the  central  area  of  the  storm,  rises  rapidly  into  regions 
where  the  pressure  is  less,  that  is,  where  the  thickness  and  consequently  the  weight  of  the  super- 
incumbent atmosphere  is  less;  it  therefore  rapidly  expands,  and  such  expansion  would  result 
in  a  much  more  rapid  cooling  and  a  corresponding  decrease  in  its  tendency  to  rise  still  higher, 
were  it  not  for  the  Intent  heat  liberated  by  the  condensation  of  the  moisture  which  it  contains. 
Thus  the  forces  that  are  conspiring  to  increase  the  energy  of  the  storm  are  powerfully  assisted  by 
the  presence  and  condensation  of  aqueous  vapor,  and  the  increasing  up-draught  and  rarefaction 
are  at  once  marked  by  the  decreasing  barometric  pressure  at  the  center.  For  example,  a  storm 
was  central  over  the  Great  Lakes  on  January  25,  with  lowest  barometer  29.7 ;  the  following  day  it 
was  central  off  Nantucket,  barometer  29.2 ;  and  on  the  27th  and  28th  over  the  Gulf  of  St.  Law- 
rence, with  barometer  below  28.6.  But  such  instances  are  so  common  as  to  make  it  the  rule  aud 
not  the  exception.  As  stated  above,  the  isobars  about  an  area  of  low  barometer  are  somewhat  cir- 
cular in  form;  more  strictly  speaking,  they  are  somewhat  oval  or  elliptical  in  shape,  and  the  more 
elongated  the  north  aud  south  axis  of  this  ellipse  the  greater  the  resulting  changes  of  tempera- 
ture, because  as  it  moves  along  its  broad  path  toward  the  Atlantic  the  iii-draught,  or  suction,  is 
felt  in  front  far  down  toward  the  tropics,  and  in  rear  far  to  the  northward,  beyond  the  territorial 
limits  of  the  United  States. 

Similarly  with  regard  to  the  general  movement  of  areas  of  high  barometer,  certain  laws  of 
motion  have  been  clearly  established  by  means  of  studies  of  the  daily  international  charts;  instead  of 
a  motion  toward  east-northeast,  these  areas,  when  north  of  the  fortieth  parallel,  have  in  general  a 
motion  towards  east-southeast,  aud  as  a  rule  move  more  rapidly  and  with  greater  momentum  than 
"lows,"  so  that  they  may  be  said  to  have  the  right  of  way  when  the  tracks  of  two  such  systems 
converge  or  intersect.  These  laws,  or  at  least  that  relating  to  the  Great  Lake  storm  track,  as  it 
may  be  called,  soon  become  evident  to  anyone  who  watches  the  weather  map  from  day  to  day,  upon 
which  are  charted  the  systems  of  low  and  high  barometer  as  they  follow  one  another  across  the 
continent,  bringing  each  its  characteristic  weather. 


CHAPTER    II. 


MARCH  n,  7  A.  M. 

The  first  of  the  accompanying  weather  charts  indicates  graphically  the  meteorological  condi- 
tions over  the  wide  area  charted,  comprising  about  3,000,000  square  miles,  of  which  one-third  is 
laud  aud  two-thirds  water.  Over  the  land  there  is  a  long  line  or  trough  of  low  barometer,  ex- 
tending from  the  west  coast  of  Florida  up  past  the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Huron  and  far  northward 
toward  the  southern  limits  of  Hudson  Bay.  In  front  of  this  advancing  line  the  prevailing  winds 
are  southeasterly,  and  the  warm  moist  air  drawn  upirom  southern  latitudes  spreads  a  warm  wave 
along  (he  coast,  with  generally  cloudy  weather  and  heavy  rains,  especially  south  of  Hatteras;  the 
Signal  Service  observer  at  Peusacola,  for  example,  reports  the  heavy  fall  of  4.0  >  inches  on  the  10th. 
About  midway  of  this  trough  of  low  barometer  there  is  a  long,  narrow  region  of  light,  variable 
winds;  of  rapid  changes  in  meteorological  conditions;  calms,  shifts  of  wind,  intervals  of  clearing 
weather ;  then  overcast  again,'  with  cooler  weather,  and  fresh  northwesterly  winds,  increasing  to  a 
gale.  The  front  line  of  this  advancing  battalion  of  cold  northwesterly  winds  is  more  than  a  thou- 
sand miles  in  length,  and  covers  the  whole  breadth  of  the  United  States;  its  right  flank  is  on  the 
Gulf,  its  left  rests  on  the  Great  Lakes,  or  even  farther  north ;  the  temperature  falls  rapidly  at  its 
approach,  with  frost  far  south  into  Louisiana  and  Mississippi,  and  heavy  snow  in  central  Kentucky 
and  eastern  Tennessee.  The  long  swaying  line  is  advancing  toward  the  coast  at  the  rate  of  about 
600  miles  a  day,  followed  by  a  ridge  of  high  barometer  reaching  from  Texas  to  Dakota  and  Mani- 
toba. At  points  along  the  trough  the  barometer  ranges  from  29.70,  a  hundred  miles  north  of  To- 
ronto, to  29.86  at  Pittsburgh,  29.88  at  Augusta,  and  29.94  at  Cedar  Keys.  Along  the  ridge  the 
barometer  is  very  high;  307  to  the  northward  about  Lake  Winnipeg,  30.6  in  Wyoming,  30.7  in 
Indian  Territory,  and  30.5  south  of  the  Rio  Grande.  The  difference  of  pressure  from  trough  to 
ridge  is  thus  measured  by  about  an  inch  of  mercury  in  the  barometer.  Moreover,  the  chart  shows 
that  there  is  another  ridge  of  high  barometer  in  advance,  curving  down  off  the  coast  from  northern 
Newfoundland,  where  the  pressure  is  30.6,  toward  Santo  Domingo,  where  it  is  about  30.3,  and 
passing  midway  between  Hatteras  and  Bermuda.  Farther  to  the  eastward  the  concentric  isobars 
show  the  presence  of  a  storm  which  originated  about  Bermuda  on  the  9th,  and  is  moving  off  toward 
Europe,  where,  iu  a  few  days,  it  may  cause  northwesterly  gales  with  snow  to  the  northward  of  its 
track,  and  southeasterly  gales  with  rain  to  the  southward.  Storm  reports  from  the  steam-ships 
Erl  King  and  Glenderon,  the  ships  Glenburn  and  Anna,  and  the  brig  Olire  Branch  show  that  this 
storm  was  of  hurricane  violence,  with  heavy  squalls  and  high  seas;  but  it  need  not  be  referred  to 
iu  this  connection  further  than  to  say  that  it  sent  back  a  long,  rolling  swell  from  northeast,  felt 
all  along  the  Atlantic  sea-board  the  morning  of  the  llth,  «nd  quite  distinct  from  that  caused  by  the 
freshening  gale  from  the  southeast. 

0 

3546  ST 2 


CHAPTER  III. 


METEOROLOGICAL  CONDITIONS  OFF  THE  COAST. 

While  this  great  trough  of  low  barometer,  with  all  its  attendant  phenomena,  is  advanc- 
ing rapidly  eastward  toward  the  Atlantic,  and  the  cold  wave  in  its  train  is  spreading  over 
towns,  counties,  and  states,  crossing  the  Great  Lakes,  moving  up  the  Ohio  Valley,  and  extending 
far  south  over  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  we  may  pause  for  a  moment  to  consider  a  factor  which  is  to  play 
a  most  important  part  in  the  warfare  of  the  elements  so  soon  to  rage  with  destructive  violence  be- 
tween Hatteras  and  Block  Island,  and  finally  to  disturb  the  weather  of  the  entire  North  Atlantic 
north  of  the  twentieth  parallel. 

The  great  warm  ocean  current  called  the  Gulf  Stream  has,  to  most  people,  a  more  or  less  vague, 
mythical  existence.  The  words  sound  familiar,  but  the  thing  itself  is  only  an  abstract  idea;  it 
lacks  reality,  for  want  of  any  personal  experience  or  knowledge  of  its  characteristic  effects.  To 
the  navigator  of  the  North  Atlantic  it  is  a  reality;  it  has  a  concrete,  definite  existence;  it  is  an 
element  which  enters  into  the  calculations  of  his  every-day  life — sometimes  as  a  friend,  to  help  liiin 
on  his  course,  sometimes  as  an  enemy,  to  endanger,  harass,  and  delay.  Briefly,  the  warm  waters 
of  the  tropics  are  carried  slowly  and  steadily  westward  by  the  broad  equatorial  drift-current  and 
banked  up  in  the  Caribbean  Sea  and  Gulf  of  Mexico,  there  to  constitute  the  head  or  source  of  the 
Gulf  Stream,  by  which  the  greater  portion  is  drained  off  through  the  straits  of  Florida  in  a  com- 
paratively narrow  and  swiftly-moving  stream.  This  great  movement  goes  on  unceasingly,  subject, 
however,  to  certain  variations  which  the  changing  seasons  bring  with  them.  As  the  sun  advances 
northward  in  the  spring,  the  southeast  trades  creep  up  toward  and  across  the  equator,  the  volume 
of  that  portion  of  the  equatorial  current  which  is  diverted  to  the  northward  of  Cape  San  Koque  is 
gradually  increased,  and  this  increase  is  soon  felt  far  to  the  westward  in  the  Yucatan  and  Florida 
Straits.  Figures  fail  utterly  to  give  even  an  approximate  idea  of  the  amount  of  heat  thus  con- 
veyed from  the  tropics  to  the  north  temperate  zone  by  the  ceaseless  pulsations  of  this  mighty 
engine  of  oceanic  circulation.  To  put  it  in  some  tangible  shape  for  the  mind  to  grasp,  however, 
suppose  we  consider  the  amount  of  energy  in  the  form  of  heat  that  would  be  liberated  were  this 
great  volume  of  water  reduced  in  temperature  to  the  freezing  point.  Suppose,  again,  that  we  con- 
vert the  number  of  heat  units  thus  obtained  into  units  of  work,  so  many  foot-pounds,  and  thence 
ascertain  the  corresponding  horse-power,  in  order  to  compare  it  with  something  with  which  we 
are  familiar.  Considering  only  the  portion  of  the  Gulf  Stream  that  flows  between  Cape  Florida  and 
the  Great  Bahama  Bank,  we  find  from  the  latest  and  most  reliable  data,  collected  by  the  U.  S. 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  that  the  area  of  cross  section  is  10.97  square  miles  (geographic 
or  sea  miles  of  6,086  feet  each);  mean  velocity  at  this  time  of  the  year,  1.305  miles  per  hour;  mean 
temperature,  71°  F.  These  figures  for  mean  velocity  and  temperature  from  surface  to  bottom  are, 
it  will  be  noticed,  far  below  those  for  the  surface  current  alone,  where  the  velocity  is  often  as  great 
as  5  knots  an  hour  and  the  temperature  as  high  as  80°.  The  indicated  horse-power  of  a  great 
ocean  steam-ship — La  Bourgogne,  Werra,  Umbria,  and  City  of  Fete  York,  for  example— is  from  9,000 
to  16.000;  that  of  some  modern  vessels  of  war  is  still  greater;  the  Vulcan,  now  building  for 
the  British  Government,  is  20,000,  and  the  Sardegna.  for  the  Italian  Government,  22,800. 
10 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  11 

Again,  if  we  convert  into  its  equivalent  horse-power  the  potential  energy  of  the  270,000  cubic 
feet  of  water  per  second  which  rush  down  the  rapids  of  Niagara  and  make  their  headlong 
plunge  of  160  feet  over  the  American  and  Horse-Shoe  Falls,  we  get  the  enormous  sum  of  5,847,000. 
The  Gulf  Stream,  however,  is  every  hour  carrying  north  through  the  straits  of  Florida  14^0-  cubic 
miles  of  water  (more  than  three  thousand  times  the  volume  of  Niagara),  equivalent,  considering  the 
amount  of  heat  it  contains  from  71°  to  32°  F.,  to  three  trillion  and  sixty-three  billion  horse-power, 
or  more  than  five  hundred  thousand  times  as  much  as  all  of  these  combined ;  indeed,  considering 
only  the  amount  of  heat  from  71°  to  50°,  it  is  still  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  times  as 
great. 

Sweeping  northward  toward  Hatteras  with  its  widening  torrent,  its  volume  still  further  in- 
creased by  new  supplies  drawn  in  from  about  the  Bahamas  and  the  northern  coast  of  Cuba, 
its  color  a  limpid  ultramarine,  like  the  dark  blue  of  the  Mediterranean  or  of  some  deep  mountain 
lake,  it  then  spreads  northeastward  toward  the  Grand  Banks  of  Newfoundland,  and  with  decreas- 
ing velocity  and  lower  temperature  gradually  merges  in  the  general  easterly  drift  that  sets  toward 
the  shores  of  Europe  about  the  fortieth  parallel. 

The  cold  inshore  current  must  also  be  considered,  because  it  is  to  great  contrasts  of  tempera- 
ture that  the  violence  of  storms  is  very  largely  due.  East  of  Newfoundland  the  Labrador  cur- 
rent flows  southward,  and  during  the  spring  and  summer  months  carries  gigantic  icebergs  and 
masses  of  field-ice  into  the  tracks  of  transatlantic  steam-ships.  Upon  meeting  the  Gulf  Stream  a 
portion  of  this  cold  current  underruns  it  and  continues  on  its  course  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea ;  an- 
other portion  is  deflected  to  the  southwest  and  flows,  counter  to  the  Gulf  Stream,  along  the  coast 
as  far  south  as  Hatteras. 

The  broad  features  of  these  great  ocean  currents  have  thus  been  briefly  outlined,  and,  although 
they  are  subject  to  considerable  variation  as  to  temperature,  velocity,  and  limits,  in  response  to 
the  varying  forces  that  act  upon  them,  this  general  review  must  suffice  for  the  present  purpose. 

Now  to  consider  for  a  moment  some  of  the  phenomena  resulting  from  the  presence  and  relative 
positions  of  these  ocean  currents,  so  far  as  such  phenomena  bear  upon  the  great  storm  now  under 
consideration.  With  the  Pilot  Chart  of  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean  for  March  there  was  issued  a 
supplement  descriptive  of  waterspouts  off  the  Atlantic  coast  of  the  United  States  during  January 
and  February.  Additional  interest  and  importance  have  been  given  to  the  facts  there  grouped 
together  and  published  by  their  evident  bearing  upon  the  conditions  which  gave  rise  to  the  tre- 
mendous increase  of  violence  attendant  upon  the  approach  of  this  trough  of  low  barometer  toward 
the  coast.  In  it  were  given  descriptions,  in  greater  or  less  detail,  of  as  many  as  forty  waterspouts 
reported  by  masters  of  vessels  during  these  two  months,  at  various  positions'  off  the  coast,  from 
the  northern  coast  of  Cuba  to  the  Grand  Banks;  and  since  that  supplement  was  published  many 
other  similar  reports  have  been  received.  Moreover,  it  was  pointed  out  that  the  conditions  that 
give  rise  to  such  remarkable  and  dangerous  phenomena  are  due  to  the  interaction  between  the 
warm,  moist  air  overhanging  the  Gulf  Stream  and  the  cold  dry  air  brought  over  it  by  northwesterly 
winds  from  the  coast  and  from  over  the  cold  inshore  current,  and  the  greater  the  difference  of 
temperature  and  moisture  the  greater  the  resulting  energy  of  action.  Reports  were  also  quoted 
showing  that  the  Gulf  Stream  was  beginning  to  reassert  itself  after  a  period  of  comparative  qui- 
escence during  the  winter  mouths,  and  with  increasing  strength  and  volume  was  approaching  its 
northern  limits  as  the  sun  moved  north  in  declination.  By  way  of  more  vividly  illustrating  the 
violence  of  the  energy  thus  developed,  a  few  of  these  reports  may  well  be  quoted  here. 

Captain  Dexter,  American  steam-ship  City  of  Para,  saw  several  large  spouts,  January  22.  about 
300  miles  east  from  Savannah.  Three  huge  spouts  were  seen  at  once,  and  six  iu  the  course  of  half 
an  hour.  The  water  seemed  to  be  drawn  up  from  the  sea,  mounting  in  spiral  columns  of  tremen- 
dous thickness,  with  a  loud  roaring  sound. 

Captain  Cleary,  British  steam-ship  Hirer  A ron,  states  that  on  January  2.S,  latitude  .39.30  N., 
longtitude  57.20  W.,  he  saw  what  he  took  to  be  a  heavy  squall  to  the  southeast.  Upon  looking  at 
it  with  his  glass  he  saw  that  it  was  a  whirlwind,  raising  the  water  to  a  great  height.  It  must  have 
been  over  a  mile  in  diameter,  but  he  hesitates  even  to  estimate  the  height  to  which  the  water  was 
raised  or  the  size  of  the  spout,  although  it  must  have  had  terrific  power. 

The  American  bark  Reindeer,  Captain  Strandt,  was,  on  the  morning  of  February  11,  about  300 


12  THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

miles  west  of  Bermuda,  running  to  the  northward  with  a  fair  wind  and  all  sail  set.  The  vessel  was 
suddenly  struck  by  a  waterspout;  all  her  masts  went  over  the  side  with  a  crash,  with  yards,  sails, 
standing  rigging,  and  running  gear.  The  force  of  the  blow  shattered  the  immense  column  of  water, 
which  luckily  did  not  fall  upon  her  decks,  or  it  might  have  resulted  in  loss  of  life.  The  crew  were 
paralyzed  with  fear,  hardly  knowing  what  had  happened,  so  sudden  was  the  shock. 

Finally,  the  British  steam-ship  Pavonia,  Captain  McKay,  was  off  the  Grand  Banks  (latitude 
41.59  K,  lougtitude  47.32  W.)  April  10,  when  a  large  spout  fo.rmed  to  the  southwest  and  traveled 
to  the  northeast  at  the  rate  of  about  30  miles  an  hour.  The  vessel's  course  was  changed  to  avoid  it. 
As  it  passed,  the  whirling  rush  of  air  was  felt  on  board.  The  great  column  of  water  reached  up  to 
a  dense  low-lying  cloud,  and  was  in  shape  like  a  huge  hour-glass.  It  was  accompanied  by  a  terrific 
roaring,  and  the  water  at  its  base  was  churned  into  a  mass  of  foam,  causing  such  a  commotion  that 
it  made  the  great  ocean  steam-ship  tremble.  When  off  the  starboard  bow  the  spout  broke,  with 
vivid  lightning,  heavy  thunder,  and  a  deluge  of  rain  and  hail,  some  of  the  pieces  of  ice  being  from 
four  to  six  inches  in  diameter. 

Such,  then,  were  the  meteorological  conditions  off  the  coast  awaiting  the  attack  of  the  advance 
guard  of  this  long  line  of  cold  northwesterly  gales — conditions  still  further  intensified  by  the 
freshening  gale  that  sprung  up  from  the  southeast  at  its  approach,  drawing  re  enforcements  of 
warm,  moist  ocean  air  from  far  down  within  the  tropics.  The  few  reports  which  have  been  quoted 
illustrate  the  intensity  of  the  energy  developed  when  storm  systems  of  only  ordinary  character 
and  severity  reach  the  Atlantic  on  their  eastward  march  toward  northern  Europe.  Let  us  now 
return  to  the  consideration  of  this  storm  which  is  advancing  toward  the  coast  at  the  rate  of  about 
600  miles  a  day,  in  the  form  of  a  great  arched  squall  whose  front  is  more  than  a  thousand  miles 
in  length,  and  which  is  followed,  far  down  the  line,  by  northwesterly  gales  and  temperatures  below 
the  freezing  point. 


CHAPTER  IV- 


THE  NIGHT  OF  MARCH  11-12. 

Sunday  afternoon  at  3  o'clock  the  line  of  the  storm  center,  or  trough,  extended  in  a  curved 
line,  convex  to  the  east,  from  Lake  Ontario  down  through  New  York  State  and  Pennsylvania, 
along  about  the  middle  of  Chesapeake  Bay  to  Norfolk,  across  North  Carolina  to  Point  Lookout, 
and  thence  down  through  eastern  Florida  to  Key  \Vest. 

Northeasterly,  easterly,  and  southeasterly  gales  were  therefore  felt  all  along  the  coast  from 
the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  to  the  Florida  Keys,  except  in  the  bight  between  Lookout  and  Canav- 
eral, where  the  barometer  had  reached  and  passed  its  lowest  point,  and  the  wind  was  northwest, 
with  much  cooler  weather.  Reference  to  the  Barometer  Diagram  shows  pretty  clearly  that  the 
trough  passed  Norfolk  a  short  time  before  it  reached  Hatteras,  where  the  lowest  reading  was 
undoubtedly  lower  the  evening  of  the  llth  than  it  was  at  Norfolk. 

By  10  p.  m.  the  line  has  advanced  as  far  east  as  the  seventy-fourth  meridian.  Telegraphic 
reports  are  soon  all  in  from  signal  stations  along  the  coast.  The  barometer  is  rising  at  Hatteras 
and  Norfolk  and  still  falling  at  Atlantic  City,  New  York,  and  Block  Island,  but  there  is  little  or 
no  indication  of  tlie  fury  of  the  storm  off-shore  along  the  seventy-fourth  meridian,  from  the  thirtieth 
to  the  fortieth  parallel,  where  the  cold  northwesterly  gale  is  sweeping  over  the  great  warm  ocean 
current,  carrying  air  at  a  temperature  below  the  freezing  point  over  water  above  75°  F.,  and  where 
the  barometer  is  falling  more  and  more  rapidly,  the  gale  becoming  a  storm  and  the  storm  a  hurri- 
cane. Nor  are  there  any  indications  that  the  area  of  high  barometer  about  Newfoundland  is  slow- 
ing down,  blocking  the  advance  of  the  rapidly  increasing  storm  and  about  to  hold  tbe  center  of 
the  line  in  ciieck  to  the  westward  of  Nantacket  for  days,  which  seem  like  weeks,  while  a  terrific 
northwest  gale  plays  havoc  along  the  coast  from  Moutauk  Point  to  Hatteras,  and  until  the  right 
flank  of  the  line  has  swung  around  to  the  eastward  far  enough  to  cut  off  the  supply  of  warm,  moist 
air  pouring  in  from  the  southeast.  Long  before  midnight  the  welcome  "good  night"  message  has 
flashed  along  the  wires  to  all  the  signal  stations  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  slope,  whilst  at 
sea,  aboard  scores  of  vessels,  from  the  little  fishing-schooner  and  pilot-boat  to  the  great  transat- 
lantic liner,  a  life-or-death  struggle  with  the  elements  is  being  waged,  with  heroism  none  the  less 
real  because  it  is  in  self-defense  and  none  the  less  admirable  because  it  can  not  always  avert 
disaster. 

The  accompanying  Track  Chart  gives  the  tracks  of  as  many  vessels  as  can  be  shown  without 
confusion,  and  illustrates  very  clearly  where  data  for  this  discussion  are  most  complete,  as  well  as 
where  additional  information  is  specially  needed.  Thus  it  is  here  plainly  evident  that  vessels  are 
always  most  numerous  to  the  eastward  of  New  York  (along  the  transatlantic  route)  and  to  the 
southward,  off  the  coast.  To  the  southeastward,  however,  about  the  Bermudas,  there  is  a  large 
area  from  which  comparatively  few  reports  have  been  received,  although  additional  data  will  doubt- 
less be  obtained  from  outward-bound  sailing  vessels,  upon  their  return.  Of  all  the  days  in  the 
week,  Saturday,  iu  particular,  is  the  day  on  which  the  greatest  number  of  vessels  sail  from  Nt-w 
York.  The  10th  of  March,  for  instance,  as  many  as  eight  transatlantic  liners  got  under  way :  The 
Aurania.  City  of  Chester,  and  Brooklyn  City,  tor  Liverpool.  Li  Xormandie  for  Havre,  the  Sorrento 
for  Hamburg,  the  EWr  for  Bremen,  the  Amsterdam  tor  Rotterdam,  and  the  Wruteritltiiul  for 

13 


14  THE  GEEAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

Antwerp;  southward-bound,  the  Finance  sailed  for  Eio,  the  Colon  for  Aspinwall,  the  Andes  for 
Cartagena,  El  Monte  and  New  Orleans  for  New  Orleans,  and  the  Old  Dominion  and  Roanolce  for 
Chesapeake  Bay.  Out  in  mid-ocean  there  were  plowing  their  way  toward  our  coast,  to  encounter 
the  storm  west  of  the  fiftieth  meridian,  the  Wandrahm  for  Halifax;  the  Bulgarian,  Carthaginian, 
Kansas,  Madura,  and  Glendevon,  for  Boston;  the  Alaska,  Furnessia,  Celtic,  Switzerland,  Werra,  La 
Gascogne,  Slavonia,  Nederland,  8t.  Ronans.  Benison,  State  of  Georgia,  Lydian  Monarch,  Edam,  Egypt, 
France,  The  Queen,  Bohemia,  City  of  San  Antonio,  and  Serapis,  for  New  York ;  the  Lord  Clive  tor 
Philadelphia,  the  Baltimore  for  Baltimore,  and  the  City  of  Lincoln  and  Erl  King  for  New  Orleans. 
Northward-bound,  off  the  coast,  were  the  Samana,  Faedrelandet,  State  of  Texas,  Newport,  Ailsa,  and 
Knickerbocker,  not  to  mention  here  the  many  sailing  vessels  engaged  in  the  coasting  or  foreigu 
trade,  whose  sails  whiten  the  waters  of  our  coasts. 

Fully  to  understand  the  reports  that  are  quoted  it  will  be  well  to  refer  to  the  chart  and  con- 
sider each  vessel's  position  at  any  given  time,  relative  to  the  corresponding  position  of  the  trough 
of  low  barometer.  There  is  no  permanency  of  location  about  these  signal  stations  of  ours  at  sea, 
and  this  fact  introduces  an  element  of  confusion  which  should  be  carefully  guarded  against.  For 
this  reason  it  is  thought  that  this  Track  Chart,  with  vessels' positions  plotted  for  certain  dates  and 
times,  will  be  found  useful  for  reference. 

Of  all  the  steam-ships  that  sailed  from  New  York  on  the  10th,  those  bound  south,  with  hardly 
a  single  exception,  encountered  the  storm  in  all  its  fury  off  the  coast.  Eastward- bound  vessels 
escaped  its  greatest  violence,  although  all  met  with  strong  head  winds  and  heavy  seas,  and  had 
the  storm  not  delayed  between  Block  Island  and  Nantucket  on  the  12th  and  13th  would  have 
been  overtaken  by  it  off  the  Grand  Banks.  Captain  Hathorne,  American  steam-ship  El  Monte, 
reports  that  he  was  so  far  south  as  to  feel  little  or  nothing  of  the  storm,  although  he  could  see  that 
there  was  a  disturbance  to  the  northward.  Captain  Wetherill,  British  steam-ship  Thornhill, 
encountered  a  gale  from  southeast  March  10,  and  the  barometer  continued  to  fall,  although  he 
was  steaming  south,  until  early  the  following  morning,  when  it  was  29.87  about  130  miles  east- 
northeast  from  Cape  Canaveral.  We  thus  find  the  energy  of  the  storm  increasing  already  and  the 
barometric  pressure  deepening,  for  the  lowest  recorded  barometer  reading  at  Cedar  Keys  on  the 
llth  was  only  29.91,  and  at  Titusville  and  Jupiter  Inlet,  29.88.  Indeed,  had  the  Thornhill  not 
been  moving  southward  the  barometer  would  undoubtedly  have  reached  a  still  lower  point.  This 
deepening  of  the  depression  was  still  more  marked  farther  north,  where  the  contrasts  of  tempera- 
ture were  greater.  For  instance,  Captain  Stevens,  American  steam-ship  Manhattan,  encountered 
a  gale  from  SE.  off  Cape  Rouiaiue,  shifting  to  S.,  SW.  and  NW. ;  highest  velocity  of  wind,  about  50 
miles  per  hour,  and  lowest  barometer  29.83,  at  4  p.  m.,  75  miles  SE.  from  Savannah.  Captain 
Gardner,  American  steam-ship  Morgan  City,  passed  Hatteras  at  7  a.  m.,  bound  south;  barometer 
30.10,  wind  ESE.,  force  5,  hauling  gradually  to  SSE.  and  increasing  in  force ;  10  a.  m.,  barometer 
29.90,  wind  SSE.,  force  8;  5  p.  m.,  29.50,  S.,  force  10,  in  squalls,  accompanied  by  a  deluge  of  rain. 
At  5.30  p.  m.,  when  25  miles  S.  by  E.  from  Point  Lookout,  the  wind  shifted  to  NNVV.  and  fell  to  a 
light  breeze.  Tfap  barometer  remained  steady  till  7  p.  m.,  when  it  commenced  rising.  At  10  p.  m. 
the  wind  had  increased  in  force  to  10,  moderating  the  following  morning.  The  American  bark 
James  S.  Stone,  Captain  Barstow,  was  off  the  coast  below  Hatteras,  bound  north.  At  5  p.  m.,  lati- 
tude 32.45  N.,  longitude  74.45  W.,  the  wind  was  blowing  a  strong  gale  from  SSE. ;  6  p.  m.,  incessant 
lightning  from  S.  to  NW.,  wind  blowing  a  furious  gale  from  SSE.,  with  rain  and  very  heavy  sea; 
barometer  29.60.  At  8  p.  in.  the  wind  died  away,  leaving  the  vessel  in  the  trough  of  a  terrible  sea; 
weather  thick  and  rainy ;  position,  about  120  miles  SSE.  from  Hatteras.  In  an  hour  the  wind 
blew  up  in  a  strong  gale  from  westward  and  continued  for  three  days  between  WN  W.  and  NN  W., 
with  fierce  squalls  of  hail  and  sleet ;  barometer  low  and  unsteady.  Captain  Catherine,  American 
steam-ship  City  of  Augusta,  experienced  a  gale  from  SE.,  shifting  to  S.  and  N  W.,  highest  force,  10, 
lowest  barometer,  29.35,  at  1  a.  m.,off  Hatteras.  Captain  Halsey,  American  steam-ship  New  Orleans, 
reports  that  from  noon,  off  the  capes  of  Chesapeake  Bay,  to  midnight,  off  Hatteras,  the  southeast- 
erly breeze  increased  to  a  gale,  the  gale  to  a  furious  storm  from  south  (with  high  seas  breaking 
over  the  vessel  and  sweeping  the  decks  fore  and  aft),  shifting  at  10  p.  m.  to  a  hurricane  from  NW. 
The  following  day  the  gale  moderated  slightly,  as  the  vessel  steamed  south,  the  sea  running  A'ery 
high,  and  at  6  p.  m.,  when  off  the  Carolina  coast  below  Cape  Fear,  it  cleared  up,  with  fine  weather 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ALTASTIC  COAST.  15 

and  rising  barometer.  Captain  Williams,  American  steam-ship  State  of  Texas,  reports  that  when 
abreast  of  Hatteras  Shoals,  at  9.30  p.  m.,  northward-bound,  the  wind,  which  had  been  blowing  a 
heavy  gale  from  SB.,  shifted  in  a  violent  squall  to  NNW.,  with  thunder  and  lightning,  blowing 
very  hard  and  followed  by  freezing  weather.  About  20  miles  north  of  Hatteras  Shoals  the  Amer- 
ican schooner  Melissa  Tratik,  Captain  Fletcher,  encountered  this  same  violent  shift  of  wind.  She 
had  been  running  north  under  close-reefed  mainsail  and  staysail,  making  8  knots  before  a  strong 
gale  from  SSE.,  with  thunder  and  lightning  to  the  SW.  at  8  p.  m.  At  9.20  p.  m.  the  increasing 
gale  shifted  to  XXW.  very  suddenly,  moderating  for  about  three  minutes  and  then  blowing  with 
terrific  force.  At  11  p.  m.  it  shifted  to  X\V.,  with  a  heavy  cross  sea,  and  blew  with  hurricane 
force  till  7  a.  m.  of  the  12th,  when  the  barometer  commenced  to  rise  and  the  wind  moderated  to  a 
heavy  gale,  with  snow  and  hail.  The  lowest  reported  reading  of  her  barometer  was  29.80,  and 
this  report  agrees  very  well  with  the  10  p.  m.  weather  map  published  by  the  Signal  Service,  although 
that  map  does  not  indicate,  for  lack  of  marine  data  at  time  of  publication,  that  another  marked 
depression,  or  secondary,  had  already  formed  off  shore  north  of  Hatteras,  in  addition  to  that  which 
had  only  just  moved  eastward  from  over  central  Georgia  and  had  passed  the  coast  with  increasing 
energy  between  Point  Lookout  and  Cape  Fear.  The  fact  that  the  barometer  of  the  Melisna  Trasl; 
remained  steady  at  29.80  from  10  p.  m.  till  7  a.  m.,  in  spite  of  the  rapid  eastward  movement  of  the 
whole  storm  system,  shows  how  rapidly  the  barometric  depression  was  really  deepening.  The 
continued  low  reading  may  have  been  partly  due,  however,  to  the  fact  that  the  vessel  was  blown 
off  her  course  about  200  miles  to  the  southeast,  thus  following  the  storm.  She  experienced  a  con- 
tinuous gale  from  XW.  to  NNW.  till  the  night  of  the  14th,  with  a  high,  confused  sea  and  occasional 
snow  and  hail. 

About  50  miles  XNE.  from  Hatteras  Captain  Kinney,  American  bark  Lottie  Steicart,  reports 
that  at  10  p.  m.  the  wind  shifted  suddenly  from  SE.  to  NW.,  blowing  very  hard  and  increasing 
toward  midnight  to  a  terrific  hurricane,  with  blinding  rain,  blowing  away  both  topsails  and  break- 
ing yards.  The  barometer  had  fallen  from  30.02  at  noon  to  29.62  at  10  o'clock.  It  continued  to 
blow  very  hard,  with  low  barometer,  till  the  morning  of  the  12th,  the  vessel  lying  perfectly  help- 
U->s  in  the  heavy  sea,  and  drifting  southeastward  across  the  Gulf  Stream.  The  weather  cleared  up 
a  little  on  the  12th.  with  rising  barometer,  which  at  2  p.  m.  on  the  13th  had  risen  to  29.92,  when  it 
began  to  fall  again,  and  on  the  14th  the  gale  increased  from  the  northward,  with  heavy  snow  squalls, 
followed  finally  by  rising  barometer  and  fine  weather.  This  second  fall  of  the  barometer  is  fully 
explained  by  reference  to  the  weather  charts  of  the  12th  and  13th,  and  will  be  referred  to  again 
later  on. 

A  little  farther  northward  we  have  a  report  from  Captain  Richardson,  American  schooner  3Ta»- 
tasl-et,  who  gives  a  lowest  barometric  reading  of  29.50  at  10  p.  m.,  70  miles  east  from  Cape  Henry. 
He  calls  special  attention  to  the  fact  that  for  the  first  twelve  hours,  and  indeed  for  nearly  twenty- 
four  hours,  the  oarometer  vibrated  in  the  most  remarkable  way,  as  much  as  .13  at  a  time,  which 
well  attests  the  violence  of  the  squalls  attending  the  formation  of  the  secondary  storm-center  men- 
tioned above,  as  well  as  the  increasing  severity  of  the  entire  storm.  The  velocity  of  the  wind,  he 
estimates,  was  as  high  as  100  miles  per  hour. 

The  above  report  is  sustained  very  well  by  the  following  from  Captain  Andrews,  American 
schooner  Warren  B.  Potter,  who  had  passed  within  20  miles  of  Hatteras  at  11  a.  m.,  bound  north, 
strong  breeze  from  SE.,  overcast  and  rainy,  falling  barometer.  The  wind  increased  gradually  in 
force,  but  remained  steady  at  SE.  till  11  p.  m.,  when  it  shifted  suddenly  to  WNW.,  throwing  every- 
thing aback.  Had  reduced  sail,  expecting  heavy  weather,  as  the  barometer  had  been  falling  all  day 
and  the  wind  increasing.  In  a  few  minutes  the  wind  hauled  to  XW.;  overcast  and  black  overhead, 
so  dark  could  not  make  out  clouds;  occasional  lightning  and  heavy  thunder;  high  sea  from  SE., 
which  broke  on  board  and  did  considerable  damage.  Lowest  barometer  29.40;  position  (estimated ). 
50  miles  E.  by  S.  from  Cape  Henry. 

Off  Henlopeu  we  have  a  very  interesting  report  from  Captain  ^Norton,  sailing-master  of  the 
88-ton  steel  schooner-yacht  Iroquois,  owned  by  Mr.  T.  Jefferson  Coolidge,  of  Boston.  The  Iroquois 
passed  Sandy  Hook  the  afternoon  of  the  10th,  bound  south.  The  next  day  the  wind  continued  to 
freshen  from  SE.,  with  falling  barometer,  sea  increasing  fast :  10  p.  in.,  wind  increasing  and  canting 
southeasterly,  occasional  rain  squalls,  and  weather  looking  bad.  especially  to  the  NVV. ;  11.40  p.  m.. 


16  THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ALTANTIC  COAST. 

wind  shifted  suddenly  to  NW.  iu  a  squall  blowing  very  hard,  but  nothing  to  what  came  later  on; 
by  1  a.  m.  it  had  increased  to  a  most  terrific  gale,  blowing  at  the  rate  of  60  or  70  miles  an  hour. 

A  few  miles  to  the  northwestward  of  the  Iroquois  the  American  brig  Arcot,  Captain  Gates,  was 
lyiug-to  off  Five-Fathom  Bank  light-ship,  in  an  easterly  storm  and  heavy  cross  sea  from  NE.  and 
ESE.;  barometer  29.20  (apparently  this  reading  is  .3  too  low  for  this  position  the  evening  of  the 
llth).  At  1  a.  m.  she  was  struck  by  a  violent  hurricane  with  blinding  snow  from  NNW.,  com- 
pletely overwhelming  the  vessel  in  a  wild,  confused  sea  which  blew  half  mast  high.  To  save  his 
vessel  from  swamping,  Captain  Gates  had  to  bear  off  before  the  gale,  which  blew  at  the  rate  of 
80  or  90  miles  an  hour  for  twenty-four  hours,  with  steady  snow  and  hail.  Hundreds  of  land-birds 
were  about  the  vessel,  struggling  in  the  gale  and  dropping  into  the  sea.  On  the  13th  the  wind 
backed  to  NW.  by  N.,  blowing  a  whole  gale,  with  heavy  squalls  of  snow  and  hail,  for  forty-eight 
hours,  followed  by  a  fresh  gale  from  WNW.  for  thirty-six  hours  more. 

Last,  but  by  no  means  least,  in  our  glance  along  the  coast  this  memorable  night,  let  us  look  off 
Barnegat  and  Sandy  Hook,  where  the  shift  of  wind  came  later,  but  with  still  greater  violence, 
fiercer  squalls,  lower  temperature,  and  more  blinding  snow. 

The  American  bark  Coryphene,  Captain  Grosse,  at  noon  of  the  llth  was  off  the  capes  of  the  Dela- 
ware, bound  north.  Beautiful  weather  and  moderate  easterly  breeze,  but  the  barometer,  which 
had  previously  been  very  high,  was  now  falling  slowly.  During  the  afternoon  it  became  hazy 
about  the  horizon,  the  wind  increased,  the  barometer  fell  more  rapidly,  and  it  commenced  raining, 
the  weather  getting  thick  and  threatening;  6  p.  in.,  28  fathoms  of  water,  wind  very  unsteady, 
sometimes  inclined  to  haul  to  S.,  sometimes  to  N.,  moderately  high  sea  from  eastward;  8  p.  m., 
furled  all  sail  but  lower  topsails  and  foretopmast  staysail ;  10  p.  m.,  wind  increasing  to  a  strong  gale, 
lay-toon  the  starboard  tack,  heading  NNE.,  and  sounded  in  25  fathoms;  midnight,  blowing  very 
hard,  with  heavy  rain,  barometer  falling  very  fast;  did  not  dare  to  reduce  sail  on  account  of  the 
lee-shore.  At  4.30  a.  m.  the  wind  shifted  suddenly  to  NNE.,  blowing  with  hurricane  force,  with 
extreme  cold  and  heavy  snow,  the  vessel  icing  up  very  fast,  and  the  barometer  still  falling;  5  a. 
m., -tried  to  wear  ship,  the  water  shoaling  rapidly,  but  the  vessel  ranged  ahead  on  a  course  about 
WNW.,  on  her  beam  ends,  and  would  not  mind  the  helm.  At  5.30  cut  the  ropes  of  the  lower 
main-topsail,  and  let  it  blow  away.  Tried  again  to  wear  ship  under  foretopsail  and  staysail,  but 
again  she  refused  her  helm.  Gut  away  the  two  remaining  sails,  to  prevent  her  from  ranging  ahead 
toward  the  shore.  At  10  a.  m.,  yellow  seas  ahead,  wind  and  sea  driving  the  vessel  toward  the 
beach,  crew  paralyzed  with  wet  and  cold,  when,  at  10.30,  the  wind  shifted  suddenly  to  NNW., 
with  increased  violence  and  still  colder  weather.  But  the  shift  of  wind  had  thrown  the  vessel's 
head  off-shore,  and,  assisted  by  the  helm,  she  came  around  and  ran  for  the  Gulf  Stream,  to  get 
relief  from  the  cold.  Captain  Grosse  states  that  he  has  experienced  many  a  tropical  hurricane,  but 
none  of  such  long  duration;  it  blew  with  hurricane  force  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  then  a  hard 
gale  for  a  day  and  a  half.  The  barometer  ranged  from  30.31  on  the  10th  to  29.21  the  night  of  the 
llth  (exact  time  not  noted).  Relative  to  this  low  barometer  reading,  it  would  seem  from  other 
data  to  be  fully  .2  too  low,  unless  the  12th  be  meant,  and  not  the  llth. 

Not  far  from  the  Coryphene  was  the  American  schooner  Phebe,  Captain  Medero.  In  the  after- 
noon it  had  been  cloudy,  with  light  rain,  and  a  moderate  breeze  from  ENE.  to  ESE.  In  the 
evening  heavier  rain,  increasing  easterly  sea,  falling  barometer.  Between  2  and  3  a.  m.,  off  Barne- 
gat, in  8  fathoms  of  water,  the  wind  went  around  to  N.,  and  in  half  an  hour  it  was  so  cold  that 
nothing  could  be  done.  Kept  the  vessel  before  the  wind  and  ran  out  into  the  Gulf  Stream.  At 
10  a.  m.  the  wind  was  blowing  almost  a  hurricane  from  NW.,  and  the  barometer,  which  had  fallen 
to  29.10,  remained  the  same  throughout  the  day.  March  13,  still  blowing  a  hurricane  from  WNW., 
very  cold,  with  occasional  squalls  of  suow;  latter  part,  moderating,  with  rising  barometer,  but 
continuing  squally,  with  occasional  rain  and  snow,  till  the  evening  of  the  15th. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  10th,  the  American  schooner  Kemett,  Captain  Smith,  was  about  100  miles 
E.  from  Cape  Henry,  bound  N.;  ESE.  wind  and  fine  weather.  During  the  night  the  sky  became 
overcast,  and  in  the  morning  the  sun  rose  red,  and  a  long  sea  began  to  roll  in  from  the  east.  At 
10  a.  m.  picked  up  a  pilot  off  Henlopeu.  In  the  afternoon  it  commenced  raining,  with  falling 
barometer,  but  neither  storm  nor  sea  were  very  heavy.  At  8  p.  in.  wore  ship,  wind  blowing  a 
double-reef  breeze  from  east;  Barnegat,  by  account,  SW.  15  miles.  The  wind  remained  steady  and 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  17 

did  not  increase  till  3  a.  in.  of  tbe  12th,  when  there  was  a  heavy  squall,  but  the  wind  did  not  shift. 
At  3.30  calui,  so  that  the  sails  came  amidships.  At  4  o'clock  the  wind  came  from  north  with  ter- 
rible force,  blowing  away  all  sail  set:  barometer  29.41.  In  an  hour  the  vessel  was  covered  with  ice; 
7  a.  m.,  barometer  29.33.  The  wind  continued  XW.  to  WXW.  throughout  the  day,  the  barometer 
rising  slowly  till  2  p.  in.,  when  it  was  29.61,  but  after  dark  it  fell  again,  reaching  29.41  again  at  2  a. 
in.,  with  wind  XV.*..  and  29.26  at  7  a.  m.  Wind  XW.  to  WXW.  during  the  13th,  with  heavy  cross 
seas.  Squalls  less  frequent,  dying  away  during  the  night  of  the  13th ;  14th,  nearly  calm,  with  snow 
squalls.  Continual  snow  during  the  12th  and  13th  ;  thermometer  23°. 

Ten  miles  SE.  from  Sandy  Hook  the  American  schooner  George  Walker,  Captain  Mitchell,  re- 
ports the  wind  blowing  with  hurricane  force  from  ESE.  at  midnight,  corrected  barometer  reading 
30  05  (this  would  seem  to  be  fnlly  .10  too  high,  indicating  some  error  not  accounted  for).  At  1  a. 
m.  the  wind  shifted  to  E.,  barometer  29.85,  and  at  2  o'clock  to  XE.,  blowing  a  fresh  gale  with  snow 
and  very  cold  weather ;  10  a.  m.,  wind  fully  60  miles  per  hour,  barometer  29.55 ;  2  p.  m.,  from  75 
to  Su  miles,  29.05.  At  4  p.  m.  the  wind  was  XX  W.,  and  on  the  13th,  75  miles  SE.  from  the  High- 
lands, wiud  XW.,  barometer  29.45,  clearing  weather. 

Also,  about  33  miles  SEJE.  from  Sandy  Hook,  at  midnight,  the  pilot-boat  Caprice,  Captain 
Sullivan,  was  in  the  central  calm  area  which  had  just  passed  the  coast;  barometric  pressure  29.80, 
decreasing  rapidly.  At  4  a.  m.  the  wind  came  out  suddenly  from  XXE.,  blowing  a  moderate  gale, 
barometer  2!».~o.  From  5  to  6  a.  m.  wiud  increasing  in  force,  and  finally  blowing  a  hurricane  from 
XX \V.,  tbe  barometer  oscillating  from  29.60  to  29.70,  high  cross  sea  from  SE.  and  XE.,  fierce  snow 
squalls  and  blinding  spray.  Lay-to  under  close  reefed  foresail  and  main-trysail,  but  had  to  take 
in  the  foresail,  wiud  and  sea  were  so  high.  The  barometer  fell  to  29.50,  and  the  vessel  was  boarded 
bv  combing  seas  which  threw  her  on  her  beam  ends.  Lowest  barometer  29.20,  at  noon  on  the  12th, 
oscillating  until  the  gale  moderated,  the  forenoon  of  the  13th. 

We  have  now  reviewed  the  whole  line  of  coast  from  the  Straits  of  Florida  to  Sandy  Hook,  and 
by  means  of  various  storm  reports,  selected  from  the  large  number  at  hand,  have  watched  the 
eflects  of  the  great  storm  as  it  reached  and  passed  the  coast.  These  reports  have  clearly  illus- 
trated the  general  character  of  the  storm,  the  phenomena  attending  the  arrival  and  passage  of  the 
trough  of  low  barometer,  and  its  tremendous  increase  of  energy  upon  reaching  the  coast.  We  may 
now  go  on  to  the  consideration  of  the  Weather  Chart  for  7  a.  m.,  March  12,  which  illustrates  more 
graphically  than  words  can  do  the  changes  that  the  past  twenty-four  hours  have  seen  developing. 
3546  sx 3 


CHAPTER  V. 


MARCH  12. 

The  chart  shows  the  line,  or  trough,  with  isobars  closely  crowded  together  southward  of  Block 
Island,  but  still  of  a  general  elliptical  shape,  the  lower  portion  of  the  line  swinging  eastward 
toward  Bermuda,  and  carrying  with  it  violent  squalls  of  rain  and  hail  far  below  the  thirty-fifth  par- 
allel. The  high  land  of  Cuba  and  Santo  Domingo  prevented  its  effects  from  reaching  the  Caribbean 
Sea,  although  it  was  distinctly  noticed  on  board  the  American  bark  John  J.  Marsh,  Captain  Whittier, 
southward  of  Cape  Maysi,  in  the  Windward  Channel,  where  three  hours  of  heavy  rain  were  expe- 
rienced during  the  day,  -with  a  shift  of  wind  from  S  W.  to  NW.  by  if.  The  isotherm  of  32°  F.  reaches 
from  central  Georgia  to  the  coast  below  Norfolk,  and  thence  out  over  the  Atlantic  to  a  point  about 
100  miles  S.  of  Block  Island,  and  thence  due  N.,  inshore  of  Cape  Cod,  explaining  the  fact  that  so 
little  snow,  comparatively,  fell  in  Ehode  Island  and  southeastern  Massachusetts ;  from  about  Cape 
Ann  it  runs  eastward  to  Cape  Sable,  and  farther  east  it  is  carried  southward  again  by  the  north- 
easterly winds  off  the  Grand  Banks.  These  northeasterly  winds  are  part  of  the  cyclonic  system 
shown  to  the  eastward  of  this  and  the  preceding  chart;  farther  south  they  become  northerly  and 
northwesterly,  and  it  will  be  noticed  that  they  have  now  carried  the  isotherm  of  70°  below  the 
limits  of  the  chart.  Thus  this  chart  shows  very  clearly  the  positions  of  warm  and  cold  waves 
relative  to  such  cyclonic  systems;  first,  there  is  this  cool  wave  iu  rear  of  the  eastern  cyclonic  sys- 
tem, then  a  warm  wave  in  front  of  the  system  advancing  from  the  coast,  and  finally  a  cold  wave 
of  marked  intensity  following  iu  its  train. 

By  reference  to  the  accompanying  Track  Chart  and  the  storm  reports  published  herewith  the 
experience  of  any  particular  vessel  can  be  referred  to  and  studied  in  connection  with  each  of  these 
weather  charts.  Similarly,  eacli  wind-arrow  on  these  charts  represents  a.  set  of  Greenwich  noon 
observations,  which  can  be  referred  to  in  the  tables  in  the  appendix  by  using  as  co-ordinates  the 
date  of  the  chart  and  the  latitude  and  longitude  of  the  center  of  the  arrow.  It  will  therefore  be 
unnecessary  to  quote  them  in  any  great  detail  here,  and  only  a  few  need  be  referred  to. 

Aboard  the  British  steam-ship  Serapis,  Captain  Dobson,  the  shift  of  wind  took  place  very 
suddenly,  in  a  heavy  squall;  there  was  no  hauling  or  veering,  and  no  cairn  intervened.  This  was 
between  5  and  6  a.  m.;  barometer  at  6  o'clock,  29.7,  falling  .1  per  hour;  position,  about  latitude  39° 
50'  N.,  longitude  73°  W.;  it  had  been  blowing  a  heavy  gale  from  E^B.,  overcast,  misty  and  rainy. 
After  the  shift  it  blew  with  hurricane  force  from  NW.,  accompanied  by  a  heavy  fall  of  snow,  and 
the  barometer  continued  to  fall  rapidly,  not  reaching  its  lowest  point  until  2  p.  m.,  when  it  read 
29.29  (position,  about  latitude  39°  50'  !N\,  longitude  73°  W.).  Captain  Dobson  reports  that  at  about 
6  p.  rn.  of  the  llth,  latitude  39°  K,  longitude  71°  40'  W.,  a  bank  of  thick,  black,  inky  clouds  was 
seen  to  the  SW.;  it  will  be  noticed,  also,  in  the  report  from  the  British  bark  Nora  Wiggins,  that 
during  the  same  afternoon,  position  about  latitude  38°  30'  N".,  longitude  67°  30'  W.,  heavy,  dark 
banks  of  clouds  were  seen  both  to  the  southward  and  northward;  each  of  these  vessels  encoun- 
tered the  storm  in  great  violence. 

One  of  the  very  best  reports  is  that  received  from  Captain  Urquhart,  of  the  British  steam-ship 

Lord  Clive,  westward-bound,  whose  position,  when  the  trough  reached  him,  was  about  latitude  39°  K, 

longitude  71°  30'  W.;  time,  from  8.30  to  9  a.  m.    He  states  that  at  8  o'clock  the  wind,  which  had 

been  blowing  a  strong  gale  from  ESE.,  moderated  somewhat,  with  heavy  rain;  barometer  29.42. 

18 


THE  GEEAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


19 


At  8.30  the  weather  cleared  np  a  little.  At  9  the  -wind  shifted  suddenly  to  SW.,  blowing  a  whole 
gale,  and  at  9.30  to  NW.,  blowing  a  complete  hurricane,  with  violent  squalls  of  hail  and  sleet. 
The  barometer  continued  to  fall  (showing  that  the  depression  was  still  deepening),  reaching  the 
lowest  point  at  10  a.  in.,  when  its  corrected  reading  was  29.18.  This  vessel's  barometer  was  mer- 
curial, compared  with  standard  as  soon  as  she  reached  Philadelphia,  and  as  the  central  calm  area 
passed  directly  over  her  this  report  gives  reliable  data  by  which  to  calculate  the  rate  at  which  the 
depression  was  deepening.  Assuming  the  reduced  pressure  at  the  center  to  have  been  29.2,  which 
is  probably  a  trifle  lower  than  it  actually  was,  and  that  it  was  28.9  at  10  p.  m.  (which  we  can  safely 
do,  as  it  was  recorded  as  low  as  28.92  at  Wood's  Holl,  Mass.),  we  still  have  a  decrease  of  pressure 
at  the  center  of  .30  inch  in  thirteen  and  one-half  hours,  or  .18  in  eight  hours.  This  is  almost  as 
great  a  rate  of  decrease  as  was  observed  at  times  during  the  preceding  twenty-four  hours ;  thus  the 
lowest  recorded  reading  of  the  barometer  at  7  a.  m.,  the  llth,  was  29.88  at  Augusta,  Ga.;  at  3  p.  m., 
29.68  at  Wilmington,  X.  C.;  at  11  p.  m.,  29.35  on  board  the  British  steam-ship  Andes,  in  the  central 
calm  area  about  75  miles  EXE.  from  Hatteras — an  average  rate  of  decrease  of  very  nearly  .23  in 
eight  hours,  and  a  maximum,  from  reliable  observations,  of  .33. 

These  reports  seem  to  indicate  quite  clearly  that  the  secondary  storm  center  that  has  formed 
off-shore,  north  of  Hatteras,  is  becoming  less  elongated  in  shape  and  is  developing  enormous 
energy.  The  barometer  diagram  may  well  be  studied  in  this  connection,  referring  at  the  same  time 
to  the  positions  of  signal  stations  and  tracks  of  vessels  plotted  in  red  on  the  Track  Chart.  Although 
in  several  cases  very  low  barometer  readings  have  been  reported,  notably  from  the  British  bark 
JYora  Wiggins  (l'S.57),  the  Norwegian  bark  WilJielm  Birkedal  (28.64),  and  the  American  schooner 
Messenger  (28.91),  yet  a  careful  consideration  of  all  the  data  at  hand  indicates  that  these  observa- 
tions are  not  reliable.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  lowest  pressure  occurred  the  night  of 
the  12th,  when  the  center  was  about  Buzzard's  Bay,  or  a  little  farther  S.,  the  corrected  reading 
of  the  barometer  at  Wood's  Holl,  at  10  p.  m.,  being  28.92 ;  at  Nantucket,  28.93 ;  and  at  Block 
Island,  29.  There  happened  to  be  no  vessels  at  this  time  between  Nantucket  and  Block  Island, 
so  far  as  our  records  show — fortunately  for  the  vessels,  no  doubt,  but  unfortunately  for  the  com- 
pleteness of  our  meteorological  data — and  these  readings  must  be  considered  about  the  lowest 
reliable  readings  recorded  during  the  storm.  At  this  time,  too,  the  steepest  barometric  gradients 
are  found,  as  indicated  in  the  following  table : 


3farimum  barometric  gradients. 


Grac 

lient. 

Station. 

Barometer. 

Range. 

in 
nautical 
miles. 

Difference  of 
pressure  in 
15  nautical 
mile*. 

Difference  of 
pressure  in 
100  statute 
miles. 

Block  Island 

29  00 

00 

0 

000 

000 

°M    11 

11 

26 

063 

365 

29.36 

.36 

62 

.087 

504 

Sew  York  

29.64 

.61 

116 

.083 

480 

Albanv 

°9  T6 

76 

126 

090 

5'4 

At  7  a.  m.  the  following  day  very  low  readings  are  also  reported  :  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  28.91; 
Block  Island,  28.92 ;  and  Wood's  Holl,  28.96. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


MARCH  13  AND  14. 

The  chart  for  7  a.  in.,  March  13,  shows  a  marked  decrease  in  the  intensity  of  the  storm, 
although  the  area  over  which  stormy  winds  are  blowing  is  still  enormous,  comprisiug,  as  it  does, 
almost  the  entire  region  charted.  From  the  Great  Lakes  and  northern  Vermont  to  the  northern 
coast  of  Cuba  the  wind  is  blowing  a  gale  from  a  direction  almost  invariably  not  th west,  whilst 
westerly  winds  and  low  temperature  have  spread  over  a  wide  tract  of  ocean  south  of  the  fortieth 
parallel.  North  of  this  parallel  the  prevailing  winds  are  easterly,  the  isobars  extending  in  a  general 
easterly  and  westerly  direction.  At  the  storm  center  off  Block  Island  the  pressure  is  28.90,  but 
the  gradients  are  not  so  steep  as  on  the  preceding  chart,  and  the  severity  of  the  storm,  both  ashore 
and  at  sea,  has  begun  to  diminish.  About  this  center,  too,  the  isobars  are  noticeably  circular  in 
form,  showing  that,  although  it  first  formed  as  an  elliptical  area,  it  gradually  assumed  the  character 
of  a  true  revolving  storm,  remaining  almost  stationary  between  Block  Island  and  Nan  tucket  until  it 
had  actually  "blown  itself  out,"  while  the  great  storm  of  which  it  was  a  conspicuous  but  not  es- 
sential part  was  continuing  its  eastward  progress.  The  enormous  influx  of  cold  air  brought  down 
by  the  long-continued  northwesterly  gale  is  graphically  shown  on  this  chart  by  the  large  extent 
and  deepening  intensity  of  the  blue  tint,  where  the  temperatures  are  below  the  freezing  point. 
From  the  northwestern  to  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  chart  we  find  a  difference  in  temperature 
of  more  than  80°  F.  (from  below  —10°  to  above  70°),  the  steepest  barometric  pressure  being  found 
to  the  northwest  of  Block  Island,  where  the  pressure  varies  1.80  inches  in  750  miles  (gradient,  .036 
inch  in  15  nautical  miles),  and  ,66  inch  in  126  miles  (Block  Island  to  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  gradient,  .079). 

On  the  chart  for  7  a.  m.,  March  14,  the  depression  off  Block  Island  has  almost  filled  up,  and 
the  stormy  winds  have  died  out  and  become  light  and  variable,  with  occasional  snow  squalls. 
The  other  storm  center  has  now  regained  its  ascendency,  and  is  situated  about  200  miles  south- 
east from  Sable  Island,  with  a  pressure  about  29.3.  The  great  wave  of  low  barometer  has  over- 
spread the  entire  western  portion  of  the  .North  Atlantic,  with  unsettled,  squally  weather  from  Lab- 
rador to  the  Windward  Islands.  The  area  of  high  pressure  in  advance  has  moved  eastward,  to  be 
felt  over  the  British  Isles  from  the  17th  to  the  21st  of  the  month,  followed  by  a  rapid  fall  of  the 
barometer  as  this  great  atmospheric  disturbance  moves  along  its  circuit  round  the  northern  hemi- 
sphere. The  isotherm  of  32°  is  still  south  of  Hatteras,  reaching  well  out  off-shore,  and  thence 
northward,  tangent  to  Cape  Cod,  as  far  as  Central  Maine,  and  thence  eastward  to  St.  John's,  New- 
foundland. Great  contrasts  of  temperature  and  pressure  are  still  indicated,  but  considerably  less 
marked  than  on  the  preceding  chart,  and  the  normal  conditions  are  being  gradually  restored. 

It  will  be  of  interest  briefly  to  refer  here  to  a  few  reports  selected  from  among  the  many  which 
will  be  found  printed  in  full  in  the  appendix,  in  order  to  get  a  general  idea  of  the  character  of 
the  storm  as  it  traversed  the  southward  and  eastward  portions  of  the  area  charted.  To  the  south- 
ward of  Bermuda  the  Track  Chart  shows  the  tracks  of  the  American  bark  Wakejield,  Captain 
Crowell,  and  the  German  steam-ship  Catania,  Captain  Franck.  Captain  Crowell's  report  shows 
that  during  the  evening  of  the  12th  it  was  clear  and  pleasant,  wind  freshening  from  SE.  and  S., 
sea  smooth,  barometer  30.02  at  midnight  (ship's  time).  During  the  forenoon  of  the  12th  the  wind 
increased  rapidly  from  SW.;  barometer  29.92.  In  the  afternoon  it  clouded  up,  with  passing 
showers,  wind  and  sea  increasing.  From  4  p.  m.  to  midnight,  wind  N  W.  and  still  increasing.  At 
20 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  21 

8  p.  m.  the  wind  shifted  suddenly  to  NSW.  iu  a  heavy  squall  of  wind  and  rain ;  barometer  29.92. 
From  midnight  to  8  a.  m.  (14th),  cloudy,  with  a  strong  breeze  from  W.  by  N. ;  sea  rough,  with  a 
heavy  swell.  The  barometer  continued  to  fall  till  the  evening  of  the  15th,  when  its  corrected 
reading  was  29.72;  weather  cloudy,  with  heavy  squalls  of  wind  and  rain,  blowing  furiously  from 
NW.,  the  vessel  laboring  heavily  and  shipping  large  bodies  of  water.  The  weather  did  not  mod- 
erate till  the  evening  of  the  16th. 

The  Catania  was  about  200  miles  SW.  by  W.  from  Bermuda  the  morning  of  the  llth  ;  barom- 
eter 30.22,  fine  weather,  light  breeze  from  EXE.,  dying  out  toward  night.  The  afternoon  of  the 
12th,  strong  gale  from  SSW.  to  W.  and  XW.,  with  heavy  rain  during  the  night,  followed  by  fine 
weather  and  moderate  sea ;  lowest  barometer  29.71,  at  3  p.  m.  (75th  meridian  time) ;  position,  lat- 
itude 280  20'  N.,  longitude  65  D  50'  W.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  Catania  was  steaming  to  the  SB., 
thus  running  out  of  the  storm  ;  the  gale,  as  she  experienced  it,  only  lasted  a  few  hours,  with  highest 
force  of  wind  10,  and  was  followed  by  light  variable  winds  and  fine  weather,  with  a  high  rolling  sea 
from  XXW. 

To  the  northward  and  eastward  of  Bermuda  the  reports  from  the  British  ship  Glenburn,  Cap- 
tain Johansen,  and  the  British  steam-ship  Caribbean,  Captain  Daniel,  may  be  mentioned.  The 
Glenburn  had  encountered  very  heavy  weather  in  the  storm  indicated  to  the  eastward  on  the 
Weather  Charts  of  March  11  and  12,  and  there  was  an  interval  of  only  one  day  between  this  storm 
and  the  succeeding  one.  The  evening  of  the  12th  there  was  a  freshening  southerly  breeze,  with 
cloudy,  gloomy  weather,  vivid  lightning  all  around  the  horizon,  and  occasional  squalls.  At  10  p.  m. 
(ship's  time)  the  wind  shifted  to  the  westward,  with  heavy  rain,  and  increased  t.>  a  fresh  gale,  with 
hard  squalls;  barometer  29.63.  The  weather  continued  unsettled  and  squally,  with  occasional  rain 
and  much  thunder  and  lightning,  for  several  days,  the  barometer  rising  slowly  till  the  evening  of 
the  14tb,  when  it  commenced  to  fall  again,  reaching  its  lowest  point  (29.47)  the  afternoon  of  the  loth. 

Tbe  Caribbean  was  steaming  in  a  direction  about  EXE.,  ner  position  at  noon  of  the  12th  (ship's 
time)  being  latitude  34°  38'  N.,  longitude  63°  20'  W.  She  was  overtaken  by  the  storm  on  the  12th, 
the  wind  increasing  to  a  gale  from  the  SSE.,  ugly,  threatening  weather,  with  frequent  squalls,  ac- 
companied by  thunder  and  lightning.  At  about  midnight  it  fell  suddenly  calm,  barometer  29.30, 
and  after  a  short  interval  the  wind  sprung  np  from  the  westward,  increasing  to  a  moderate  gale, 
with  squalls,  passing  showers,  and  a  heavy  cross  sea. 

To  the  northward  the  data  are  very  complete,  but  it  will  answer  for  present  purposes  to  refer  to 
the  report  of  the  British  steam  ship  Brooklyn  City,  Captain  Fitt,  and  the  German  ship  Anna,  Cap- 
tain Menkens.  The  former  was  eastward-bound,  along  the  transatlantic  route,  and  during  the 
forenoon  of  the  12th  was  heading  into  an  increasing  gale  ami  heavy  sea  from  ESE.  At  noon, 
latitude  40°  45'  X..  longitude  65°  39'  W.,  squally,  with  heavy  rain,  wind  ESE.,  9,  barometer  29.70. 
Wind  and  sea  continued  to  increase,  with  falling  barometer,  till  11.30  p.  m.  (ship's  time),  when 
the  wind  shifted  to  W..  with  a  high  confused  sea.  The  barometer  continued  to  fall  till  4  a.  m.  of 
the  13th,  when  its  corrected  reading  was  20.36.  The  easterly  winds  were  noticeably  stronger  than 
those  from  westward,  due,  at  least  iu  part,  to  the  eastward  motion  of  the  vessel. 

The  Anna  was  farther  eastward  ;  her  lowest  barometer  (29.57)  was  also  experienced  at  4  a.  m. 
(ship's  time).  March  13,  the  wind  blowing  a  strong  gale  from  ESE. ;  position,  latitude  41°  10'  X., 
longitude  54°  30'  W.  Toward  noon  there  were  very  heavy  squalls  of  wind  and  rain,  followed  by  an 
interval  of  calm  at  noon  and  then  light  southerly  winds  and  six  hours  of  heavy  rain.  During  the 
evening  heavy  rain  squalls,  with  thunder  and  lightning;  and  on  the  following  day  calms,  variable 
winds,  occasional  heavy  squalls,  rain,  thunder,  and  lightning.  From  the  fact  that  the  barometer 
commenced  to  rise  several  hours  before  the  shift  of  wind,  it  is  to  be  inferred  that  the  depression 
was  filling  up  and  the  energy  of  the  storm  decreasing.  Still  farther  east,  however,  the  depression 
deepened  again,  the  result  of  the  great  contrasts  of  temperature  and  humidity  always  to  be  found 
off  the  Grand  Banks,  conditions  that  were  intensified  iu  the  present  case  by  the  long-continued 
southerly  and  easterly  winds  that  prevailed  iu  advance  of  the  storm,  bringing  up  warm,  moist  air 
into  contact  with  the  cold  Labrador  current  and  the  ice-fields  in  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence.  Captain 
Hughes,  of  the  British  steam-ship  Lord  Gough,  for  instance,  reports  a  lowest  corrected  barometric 
pressure  of  29.05,  the  afternoon  of  the  17th.  latitude  48°  42'  N.,  longitude  35°  09*  W. ;  the  gale  set 
in  on  the  16th  from  S.,  coming  np  suddenly  in  a  thick,  black  cloud,  with  torrents  of  rain  and  a  high, 


22  THE  GREAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

confused  sea.  It  blew  with  hurricane  force  for  six  hours,  then  fell  calm  for  an  hour,  and  blew  with 
hurricane  force  for  five  hours  more,  the  glass  continuing  to  fall  for  some  time  after  it  had  moderated ; 
shifts  of  wind,  S.  to  SSW.  and  WNW.,  then  back  to  S.  agaiu.  Other  reports  show  that  on  the 
17th,  when  the  storm  center  was  in  about  latitude  49°  N.,  longitude  43°  W.,  the  reduced  pressure 
was  as  low  as  28.7. 

The  special  feature  of  this  great  storm,  or  at  least  the  feature  that  gave  it  such  destructive 
violence  ashore  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York,  was  the  secondary  storm  center  that  remained  so  long 
about  Block  Island,  moving  about  over  a  limited  area,  aud  gradually  losing  its  identity  as  a  dis- 
tinct storm  center.  The  following  extract  from  the  report  made  by  Boat-keeper  Kobinson,  in  be- 
half of  the  pilots  of  New  York  pilot-boat  No.  3  (the  Charles  H.  Marshall),  can  not  fail  to  be  read 
with  interest,  giving,  as  it  does,  a  very  complete  and  continuous  record  of  the  weather  a  short 
distance  off  the  coast,  while  the  great  "  blizzard  "  was  raging  in  New  York.  The  gallant  and 
successful  struggle  made  by  the  crew  of  this  little  vessel  for  two  long  days  and  nights  against 
such  terrific  odds  is  one  of  the  most  thrilling  incidents  of  the  storm,  and  well  illustrates  the  dan- 
gers to  which  these  hardy  men  are  constantly  exposed. 

The  Charles  H.  Marshall  was  off  Barnegat  the  forenoon  of  the  llth,  and  as  the  weather  looked 
threatening  two  more  reefs  were  put  in  the  sails  and  she  was  headed  to  the  northward,  intending 
to  run  into  port  for  shelter.  During  the  afternoon  the  breeze  increased  to  a  strong  gale,  and  sail 
was  reduced  still  further.  When  about  18  miles  SE.  from  the  light-ship  a  dense  fog  shut  in,  and 
it  was  decided  to  remain  outside  aud  ride  out  the  storm.  The  wind  hauled  to  the  eastward  toward 
midnight,  and  at  3  a.  m.  it  looked  so  threatening  in  the  NW.  that  a  fourth  reef  was  taken  in  the 
mainsail  aud  the  foresail  was  treble  reefed.  In  half  an  hour  the  wind  died  out  completely,  and 
the  vessel  lay  in  the  trough  of  a  heavy  SE.  sea  that  was  threatening  every  moment  to  engulf  her. 
She  was  then  about  12  miles  ESE.  from  Sandy  Hook  light-ship,  and  in  twenty  minutes  the  gale 
struck  her  with  such  force  from  NW.  that  she  was  thrown  on  her  beam  ends.  She  instantly  righted 
again,  however,  but  in  two  hours  was  so  covered  with  ice  that  she  looked  like  a  small  iceberg.  By 
8  a.  m.  the  wind  had  increased  to  a  hurricane,  the  little  vessel  pitching  and  tossing  in  a  terrific 
cross-sea,  and  only  by  the  united  efforts  of  the  entire  crew  was  it  possible  to  partially  lower  and 
lash  down  the  foresail  aud  fores  taysail.  No  one  but  those  on  board  can  realize  the  danger  she 
was  in  from  the  huge  breaking  seas  that  rolled  down  upon  her.  The  snow  and  rain  came  with  such 
force  that  it  was  impossible  to  look  to  windward,  aud  the  vessel  was  lying  broadside  to  wind  aud 
sea.  A  drag  was  rigged  with  a  heavy  log,  anchor  and  hawser,  to  keep  her  head  to  sea  and  break 
the  force  of  the  waves,  but  it  had  little  effect,  and  it  was  evident  that  something  must  be  done  to 
save  the  vessel.  Three  oil  bags  were  made  of  duck,  half  filled  with  oakum  .saturated  with  oil,  and 
hung  over  the  side  forward,  amidships,  aud  on  the  weather  quarter.  It  is -admitted  that  this  is  all 
that  saved  the  boat  and  the  lives  of  all  on  board,  for  the  oil  prevented  the  seas  from  breaking,  and 
they  swept  past  as  heavy  rolling  swells.  Another  drag  was  rigged  and  launched,  although  not 
without  great  exertion  and  danger,  and  this  helped  a  little.  Heavy  iron  bolts  had  to  be  put  in 
the  oil  bags  to  keep  them  in  the  water;  and  there  the  little  vessel  lay,  fighting  for  life  against 
the  storm,  refilling  the  oil  bags  every  half  hour,  and  fearing  every  instant  that  some  passing  ves- 
sel would  run  her  down,  as  it  was  impossible  to  see  a  hundred  feet  in  any  direction.  The  boat 
looked  like  a  wreck;  she  was  covered  with  ice  and  it  seemed  impossible  for  her  to  remain  afloat 
until  daylight.  Three  oil  bags  were  replenished  every  half  hour  during  the  night,  all  hands  taking 
turn  about  to  go  on  deck  and  fill  them,  crawling  along  the  deck  on  hands  and  knees  and  secured 
with  a  rope  in  case  of  being  washed  overboard.  Just  before  midnight  a  heavy  sea  struck  the 
boat  and  sent  her  over  on  her  side ;  everything  movable  was  thrown  to  leeward,  aud  the  water 
rushed  down  the  forward  hatch.  But  again  she  righted,  and  the  fight  went  on.  The  morning  of 
the  13th  it  was  still  blowing  with  hurricane  force,  the  wind  shrieking  past  in  terrific  squalls.  It 
cleared  up  a  little  toward  evening,  and  she  wore  around  to  head  to  the  northward  and  eastward, 
but  not  without  having  her  deck  swept  by  a  heavy  sea.  It  moderated  and  cleared  up  the  next 
day,  and  after  five  hours  of  hard  work  the  vessel  was  cleared  of  ice  and  sail  set  for  home.  She 
had  been  driven  100  miles  before  the  storm,  fighting  every  inch  of  the  way,  her  crew  without  a 
chance  to  sleep,  frost-bitten,  clothes  drenched  and  no  dry  ones  to  put  on,  food  and  fuel  giving  out, 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ALTANTIC  COAST.  23 

but  they  brought  her  into  port  without  the  loss  of  a  spar  or  sail,  and  she  took  her  station  on  the 
bar  as  usual. 

Do  the  pages  of  history  contaiu  the  record  of  a  more  gallant  fight  f  Nothing  could  show  more 
graphically  than  this  brief  report  the  violence  and  long  duration  of  the  storm.  No  wonder  that 
this  terrific  northwest  gale  drove  the  ocean  itself  before  it,  so  that  the  very  tides  did  not  resume 
their  normal  heights  for  nearly  a  week  at  certain  ports  along  the  coast,  and  the  Gulf  Stream  itself 
was  far  south  of  its  usual  limits.  The  damage  and  destruction  wrought  ashore  are  too  fresh  in 
mind  to  be  referred  to  here,  aud  losses  along  the  coast  can  only  be  mentioned  briefly.  Below  Hat- 
teras  there  was  little  damage  done  to  shipping.  In  Chesapeake  Bay  2  barks,  77  schooners,  and  17 
sloops  were  blown  ashore,  sunk,  or  damaged;  in  Delaware  Bay,  37  vessels;  along  the  New  Jersey 
coast  and  in  the  Horseshoe  at  Sandy  Hook,  13 ;  in  New  York  Harbor  and  along  the  Long  Island 
coast,  20;  and  along  the  New  England  coast,  9.  The  names  of  six  vessels  that  were  abandoned 
at  sea  have  been  reported,  and  there  are  at  least  nine  others  missing,  among  them  the  lamented 
New  York  pilot-boats  Phantom  and  Enchantress  and  the  yacht  Cythera;  moreover,  shortly  after 
the  storm  seven  derelicts,  which  can  not  be  identified  with  any  previously  reported,  were  sighted 
off  the  coast,  to  take  their  places  amongst  the  other  obstructions  to  navigation  whose  positions 
and  erratic  tracks  are  plotted  each  month  on  the  Pilot  Chart,  that  other  vessels  may  be  warned 
of  the  danger  of  collision.  The  abandoned  schooner  W.  L.  White  has  started  off  to  the  eastward 
in  the  Gulf  Stream,  and  will  soon  become  a  source  of  anxiety  to  the  captains  of  steam  ships  along 
the  transatlantic  route,  and  furnish  a  brief  sensation  to  the  passengers  when  she  is  sighted.  There 
is  thus  an  intensely  human  side  to  the  history  of  a  great  ocean  storm,  aud  to  one  who  reads  these 
brief  records  of  facts  and  at  the  same  time  gives  some  little  play  to  his  imagination  there  is  a  very 
pathetic  side  to  the  picture— a  side  that  is  only  too  often  "out  of  sight,  out  of  mind"  to  the  great 
majority  who  live  ashore,  and  to  whom  the  slowly  accumulating  evidences  of  a  great  storm  at  sea, 
with  its  fragmentary  and  always  incomplete  record  of  disasters,  sometimes  seem,  in  this  age  of 
the  electric  telegraph,  like  pages  of  ancient  history. 


CHAPTER   VII. 


THE  USE  OF  OIL  TO  PREVENT  HEAVY  SEAS  FROM  BREAKING. 

The  following  reports  are  selected  from  those  received  relative  to  the  use  of  oil  by  vessels 
caught  in  the  heavy  cross-seas  of  this  great  storm.  In  accordance  with  the  policy  followed 
hitherto  by  the  Hydrographic  Office,  which  has  already  resulted  in  the  almost  universal  recogni- 
tion of  the  practical  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  use  of  oil  at  sea  to  quiet  dangerous  waves, 
these  reports  will  be  quoted  verbatim.  The  object  has  been,  and  is  now,  to  call  attention  as 
widely  as  possible  to  this  subject;  to  publish  facts,  actual  experiences,  with  dates,  positions, 
names,  and  all  details  that  may  tend  to  bring  it  vividly  and  graphically  before  every  navigator, 
that  each  one  may  see  for  himself  what  others  think  of  it,  how  they  have  tried  the  experiment, 
and  the  results  gained.  In  this  way  it  is  shown  very  clearly  that  very  little  trouble  and  ex- 
pense are  involved;  that  almost  any  kind  of  oil  may  be  used  to  advantage;  and  that  under- 
writers, owners,  agents,  and  masters,  all  over  the  world,  have  become  thoroughly  convinced 
that  the  recent  revival  of  the  knowledge  and  use  of  this  old  but  almost  forgotten  principle  is 
a  matter  of  the  greatesF  importance  to  them  all.  Many  vessels  are  now  fitted  out  with  special 
apparatus  for  distributing  oil  most  advantageously;  numerous  patents  have  been  taken  out  for 
special  kinds  of  oil  and  special  methods  of  distribution  ;  but  the  most  important  fact  of  all  is 
brought  out  by  each  and  every  one  of  the  following  reports,  namely,  that  every  vessel  has  on 
board  at  all  times  materials  which,  by  means  of  a  little  ingenuity  and  care,  will  answer  the  pur- 
pose, and  which  may,  by  such  use,  avert  not  ouly  discomfort  and  damage,  but  even  serious  dis- 
aster. 

From  some  of  these  vessels  separate  storm  reports  have  been  received,  which  have  been 
referred  to  already  in  this  discussion.  Others,  however,  are  new,  and  in  addition  to  the  special 
information  relative  to  the  use  of  oil  will  be  found  to  contain  interesting  data  about  the  storm 
itself. 

Several  of  the  New  York  pilot-boats  used  oil  to  advantage,  and  their  hazardous  occupation 
would  seem  to  make  a  knowledge  of  its  use  on  such  occasions  of  the  greatest  value.  Captain 
Sullivan,  of  the  Caprice,  for  instance,  whose  interesting  storm  report  has  been  quoted  above,  states 
that  when  he  was  boarded  by  combing  seas  off  Sandy  Hook,  which  threw  his  vessel  on  her  beam 
ends,  he  broke  out  oil-bags,  stuffed  them  with  oakum,  rags,  and  anything  he  could  lay  his  hands 
on,  poured  in  a  mixture  of  1  gallon  lard  oil,  1  gallon  paint  oil,  and  3  gallons  petroleum  (all  he  had 
onboard),  and  punched  them  with  a  brad-awl.  One  of  these  he  hung  over  the  weather  bow  and 
the  other  over  the  side,  abreast  the  weather-main  rigging,  so  as  to  just  clear  the  water  when  on 
an  even  keel;  he  also  rigged  out  two  drags  over  the  weather-bow,  each  composed  of  15  fathoms 
of  chain  on  five  fenders,  held  by  75  fathoms  of  hawser.  After  the  oil  was  used  no  water  came  on 
board,  although  before  using  it  the  sea  was  making  a  clean  breach  over  the  vessel.  A  breaking 
wave  would  rush  toward  her,  meet  the  oil  slick,  the  crest  would  quiet  down,  and  the  wave  roll 
harmlessly  past.  He  used  the  oil  for  thirty-six  hours,  and  says  it  saved  his  vessel. 

The  pilot-boat  Charles  R.  Marshall  was  struck  by  the  storm  at  10.30  p.  m.  on  the  llth,  10 
miles  E.  from  Sandy  Hook,  wind  WXW.,  with  snow.     A  brief  report  from  Pilot  Partridge  states  ' 
that  the  vessel  drifted  100  miles  before  the  gale,  till  she  was  brought  head  to  wind  the  morning  of 
24 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  25 

the  13th,  with  anchor  and  90  fathoms  of  chain  which  held  for  24  hours,  the  wind  blowing  100 
miles  per  honr.  Used  three  oil-bags,  and  except  for  them  he  thinks  the  vessel  would  have  gone 
down.  The  detailed  report  of  Boat-keeper  Robinson,  printed  in  full  elsewhere,  can  not  fail  to  be 
read  with  the  greatest  interest.  The  account  of  the  use  of  oil  is  such  an  essential  part  of  the 
report  that  it  is  quoted  entire  therewith.  Similarly  with  regard  to  the  pilot  boat  William  H. 
Starbucl;  off  Barnegat,  the  night  of  March  11.  The  report  communicated  by  Pilot  Heath,  printed 
in  full  elsewhere,  may  be  referred  to  in  this  connection,  and  no  stronger  testimony  regarding  the 
advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  use  of  oil  could  be  desired  than  the  brief  but  eloquent  facts 
stated  in  these  two  reports. 

The  experience  of  the  yacht  Iroquois,  off  Henlopen,  has  been  spoken  of  already,  but  the 
special  feature  of  the  report  received  from  her  sailing-master,  Captain  Norton,  is  that  relating  to 
the  use  of  oil.  At  1  a.  in.,  the  12th,  when  it  was  blowing  a  most  terrific  gale,  he  found  the  vessel 
was  making  too  much  headway  for  safety ;  took  in  the  reefed  fore-stay-sail  and  fore  try-sail,  and  put 
over  a  patent  sea-drag,  but  the  hawser  carried  away  and  he  lost  it.  He  then  thought  of  a  case  of 
oil  on  board,  containing  four  5-gallon  cans;  made  three  bags  of  No.  o  cotton,  large  enough  to 
hold  about  2  gallons  apiece  ;  put  2  quarts  in  each,  and  hung  them  over  the  weather-bow,  but  the 
oil  congealed  and  would  not  run  out  through  the  holes  he  had  made  with  a  sail-needle.  Then 
tried  the  oil  through  the  pipes  of  the  closet  in  the  forecastle,  near  the  bow,  putting  a  few  table- 
spoonfuls  in  the  bowl  and  then  pumping  it  out.  It  was  truly  wonderful  to  see  the  effect  it  had  on 
the  sea.  A  huge  comber  would  come  down  upon  the  vessel,  threatening  to  bury  her  20  feet  deep. 
The  comb  would  strike  a  patch  of  oil  no  larger  than  a  common  dining-table,  and  in  an  instant  the 
top  of  the  sea  was  smooth  and  round,  without  even  a  wind  ripple,  and  the  little  schooner  would  pop 
up  on  top  of  it  as  easy  as  a  gull.  He  stood  on  the  deck  for  more  than  an  hour  watching  the 
effect,  and  then  went  below  feeling  that  so  tar  as  breaking  waves  were  concerned  he  was  perfectly 
safe  as  long  as  the  oil  held  out.  The  oil  used  in  this  ease  was  a  soft,  greasy  oil,  wh.ich  he  thinks  is 
the  best.  The  yacht  rode  out  the  storm  in  perfect  safety,  without  any  damage,  although  both  top- 
masts were  on  end  and  jib-boom  out.  Used  15  gallons  of  oil  in  thirty-six  hours.  Captain  Norton 
has  followed  the  sea  for  the  past  thirty  years,  seventeen  of  them  as  master,  but  never  experienced 
a  worse  gale  than  this. 

Captain  Trim,  of  the  American  schooner  Isaac  Orbeton,  was  caught  in  the  hurricane  off  Ab- 
secon  ;  fore-sail  blown  away ;  sea  very  high  and  irregular;  rain,  sleet,  and  snow;  wind  from  WN\Y. 
The  vessel  was  heavily  laden  with  sugar,  and  Captain  Trim  hove-to  and  prepared  to  use  oil  to 
prevent  the  sea  from  breaking  over  her.  Rigged  six  oil-bags  as  follows:  from  the  weather  cat- 
head, from  each  weather-chains,  on  the  boat  davits,  and  on  a  buoy  to  windward  (a  heavy  piece 
of  timber  secured  to  the  vessel  by  a  lanyard) ;  filled  the  bags  with  oakum,  pricking  the  canvas 
well  with  a  sail  needle,  and  used  equal  parts  offish-oil  and  kerosene,  refilling  the  bags  about  every 
two  hours.  No  water  came  on  board  during  the  thirty  hours  the  oil  was  used.  The  vessel  was  very 
deep  and  must  otherwise  have  been  greatly  damaged  by  the  heavy  seas,  which,  though  very  high 
and  irregular,  were  reduced  by  the  oil  to  long  rolling  swells.  He  never  tried  the  experiment  before, 
but  regards  the  use  of  oil  as  a  most  valuable  thing,  if  the  bags  are  attended  to  and  not  allowed 
to  get  empty.  Used  about  10  gallons  each  of  fish  oil  and  kerosene. 

The  American  schooner  John  II.  Krantz.  Captain  Pitcher,  was  at  anchor  off  Brandywiue  Shoal, 
Delaware  Bay,  at  the  beginning  of  the  storm  ;  her  chains  parted  and  she  was  driven  to  sea.  scud- 
ding under  bare  poles.  Captain  Pitcher  reports  that  heavy  seas  broke  on  board,  smashed  his 
booms,  and  made  it  unsafe  to  move  about  the  deck.  lie  immediately  set  to  work  to  use  oil,  placing 
a  can  in  the  after  closet  in  such  a  way  as  to  allow  the  oil  to  drip  slowly  out.  He  also  poured  oil 
on  deck,  from  forward  aft.  The  effect  was  wonderful;  no  more  water  came  on  board,  and  the 
vessel  ran  before  the  hurricane  in  perfect  safety.  He  considers  fish-oil  best,  and  intends  never  to 
go  to  sea  without  a  supply. 

Captain  Cortrall,  American  schooner  Welaka,  was  struck  by  the  hurricane  off  Five-Fathom 
Bank  at  1.'>U  a.  in  .  Mai, -a  !_':  snowing,  and  bitterly  cold;  dangerously  heavy  and  irregular  sea. 
At  2  a.  in.  he  squared  away  aud  ran  for  the  Gulf  Stream  under  bare  poles,  having  placed  an  oil- 
bag  in  each  mizzen-chains;  the  bags  were  tilled  with  oakum  and  fish-oil,  and  perforated  with  a  sail- 
needle,  There  was  a  tremendous  following  sea,  and,  finding  that  the  waves  broke  over  the  vessel 
3546  ST 4 


26  THE  GEE  AT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

amidships,  be  carried  the  bags  forward,  one  on  each  jib-boom  guy,  after  which  he  ran  witn  perfect 
safety  and  comfort,  so  far  as  taking  water  was  concerned.  He  continued  to  use  oil  for  fifty-two  hours, 
and  the  high  following  seas  were  reduced  to  harmless  swells  as  they  struck  the  slick.  Two  attempts 
were  made  to  bring  the  vessel  by  the  wind,  but  it  proved  to  be  too  dangerous  until  the  Gulf  Stream 
was  reached  and  some  sail  could  be  made.  Captain  Cortrall  states  that  the  magical  effect  of  the 
oil  is  absolutely  incredible  until  one  sees  the  experiment  tried,  and  he  will  never  go  to  sea  again 
without  being  in  readiness  to  use  it. 

Captain  Segerman,  American  bark  Serene,  was  hove-to  off  the  Chesapeake  from  the  llth  to  the 
15th  of  March,  and  used  oil  with  marked  effect  to  prevent  seas  from  breaking  on  board.  Canvas 
bags  were  hung  from  each  weather-channel,  containing  a  little  oakum  and  about  a  quart  of  oil  each. 
Only  4  gallons  of  linseed-oil  were  used  during  the  gale,  which  lasted  three  days. 

Captain  Andrews,  American  schooner  Warren  B.  Potter,  was  to  the  eastward  of  Cape  Henry 
and  ran  to  the  southeast  before  the  storm.  As  the  vessel  was  shipping  a  great  deal  of  water,  and 
the  seas  very  high  and  irregular,  he  prepared  to  use  oil.  Took  a  sheet  off  a  bed  and  dipped  it  in 
paint  oil,  put  it  in  a  bag  and  towed  it  astern.  Then  hung  bags  on  each  side  of  fore-channels,  filled 
with  rags  and  oil.  The  result  was  that  the  waves  no  longer  broke  over  the  vessel.  He  has  tried 
kerosene,  but  can  not  advise  using  it. 

The  American  schooner  Normandy,  also  to  the  eastward  of  Cape  Henry,  was  in  the  hurricane 
for  three  days,  and  lost  main-gaff,  mainsail  and  foresail,  and  split  the  jib.  The  long-boat  and  one 
davit  were  carried  away,  companion-way  doors  and  window-shutters  broken,  binnacle  washed  away, 
cabin  flooded,  and  main  deck  swept  of  everything  movable.  Further  damage  was  avoided  by 
simply  pouring  oil  over  the  side. 

The  American  schooner  Ellen  M.  Golder,  Captain  Johnston,  encountered  the  storm  off  the  coast 
of  Long  Island.  The  vessel  was  hove-to,  but  as  the  wind  and  sea  increased  it  became  necessary 
to  wear  ship  and  scud  before  the  gale.  A  tremendous  sea  was  running  and  the  vessel  was  under 
bare  poles,  all  sail  haviug  been  blown  away.  In  order  to  perform  the  maneuver  in  safety  the  cap- 
tain decided  to  try  the  use  of  oil ;  poured  5  gallons  of  paint-oil  over  the  lee-quarter,  and  the  vessel 
wore  around  without  taking  a  drop  of  water  on  board,  although  the  captain  feels  sure  that  with- 
out the  use  of  oil  it  would  have  been  wholly  impossible. 

Captain  Saint  John,  American  schooner  Spartan,  was  struck  by  the  gale  off  Moutauk  Point, 
March  11,  and  blown  200  miles  off  shore,  losing  all  of  his  sails  and  much  of  his  standing  rigging. 
While  running  before  the  gale,  with  a  prospect  of  foundering  in  the  heavy  sea,  the  captain  threw 
overboard  a  number  of  oil-soaked  bags  of  oa,kum.  The  waves,  however,  washed  the  bags  back 
on  deck  as  fast  as  they  were  thrown  over.  The  captain  finally  poured  a  quantity  of  oil  through 
the  closet  pipe  and  secured  comparatively  calm  water,  saving  his  vessel. 

Storm  reports  are  quoted  elsewhere  from  the  British  bark  Nora  Wit/gins,  the  German  bark 
Johanna,  the  American  schooner  Messenger,  and  the  American  ship  Annie  M.  Smull.  From  each  of 
these  a  report  has  been  received  regarding  the  use  of  oil  in  the  great  storm,  and  in  every  case  its 
use  was  regarded  as  of  great  advantage. 

Mr.  Collins,  mate  of  the  Nora  Wiggins,  states  that,  when  hove-to  in  the  hurricane,  the  vessel 
was  boarded  by  breaking  seas.  Oil-bags  were  used  with  great  effect  to  prevent  the  combing 
waves  from  breaking  over  the  vessel,  and  oil  was  also  poured  on  oakum  put  in  the  bowls  of  the 
closet,  and  allowed  to  run  slowly  out  the  pipes.  The  bags  were  made  fast  to  the  main  rigging  just 
clear  of  the  water,  and  kept  the  sea  smooth.  No  water  came  on  board  after  the  oil  was  used. 

Captain  Falker,  of  the  Messenger,  made  use  of  oil  for  the  first  time  in  this  storm;  he  was 
thoroughly  converted,  and  is  now  a  firm  believer  in  the  great  advantages  to  be  gained.  Not  hav- 
ing any  regular  appliances,  he  put  a  can  of  porpoise-oil,  with  a  small  hole  in  the  bottom  for  the 
oil  to  drip  through,  in  the  after  closet,  thus  allowing  the  oil  to  drip  slowly  into  the  sea.  The  result 
was  astonishing.  The  oil  cut  the  combers  completely  from  the  running  seas  and  made  the  water 
so  smooth  about  the  vessel  that  little  or  no  water  came  on  board.  The  vessel  was  hove-to  for  fifty- 
two  hours,  and  only  five  gallons  of  oil  expended. 

Finally,  Captain  Meyer,  of  the  Johanna,  when  he  found  it  necessary  to  abandon  his  vessel, 
in  a  sinking  condition,  was  lying-to  on  the  starboard  tack,  a  strong  northwest  gale  blowing, 
the  seas  running  very  high  and  breaking.  The  German  bark  Weser  ran  down  to  leeward  and 


THE  GREAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  27 

hove-to.  Got  two  boats  ready,  hove  two  cans  of  rape  &eed  oil  over  to  windward,  punctured  so  that 
the  oil  could  run  out,  and  manned  the  boats,  each  of  which  was  supplied  with  fish  oil,  in  cans. 
Pulled  under  the  lee  of  the  Johanna  to  the  Weser,  all  the  time  pouring  oil  over  the  stern  of  the 
boats.  The  boats  were  half  full  of  water  when  they  got  alongside  the  Weser,  but  he  thinks  they 
would  never  have  reached  her  had  they  not  used  oil. 

Such  reports  need  little  or  no  comment.  The  mere  publication  of  the  facts  is  enough  to  con- 
vince any  one.  With  the  memory  fresh  in  mind  of  the  loss  of  the  gallant  New  York  pilot  boats 
Phantom  and  Enchantress,  of  the  lamented  yacht  Cythera,  and  other  vessels,  some  of  them  not  yet 
given  up  but  probably  lost  in  this  terrific  storm,  these  brief  reports  convey  a  lesson  which  can 
not  fail  to  be  heeded  and  remembered. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


CONCLUSION. 

The  great  storm  tbat  has  thus  been  briefly  described,  as  well  as  can  be  done  from  the  data 
now  at  hand  and  iu  the  limited  time  at  our  disposal,  would  seem  to  deserve  more  notice  than  a  mere 
sensation  over  its  fierce  onslaught  and  destructive  progress.  This  study  can  not  be  brought  to  a 
conclusion  more  fittingly  than  by  pointing  out  certain  things  which  it,  has  emphasized,  certain  les- 
sons which  it  has  taught,  that  we  may  learn  from  the  lesson  of  experience  to-day  how  best  to  shape 
our  course  to-morrow. 

First  of  all,  it  has  furnished  a  most  striking  and  instructive  example  of  a  somewhat  unusual 
class  of  storms,  and  this  on  such  a  grand  scale,  and  iu  a  part  of  the  world  where  the  data  for  its 
study  are  so  complete,  that  it  must  long  remain  a  most  memorable  instance.  It  is  a  case  where 
the  law  of  storms,  founded  on  the  circular  theory  and  the  eight-point  rule,  is  to  a  large  extent 
inapplicable  as  a  guide  for  action ;  because  here,  instead  of  a  more  or  less  circular  area  of  low 
barometer  at  the  storm  center,  there  is  a  great  trough  of  "  low  "  between  two  ridges  of  "  high,"  the 
whole  system  moving  rapidly  eastward,  and  including,  "within  the  arc  of  its  majestic  sweep,'' 
almost  the  entire  width  of  the  temperate  zone.  Eelative  to  the  law  of  storms,  however,  this  much 
may  be  said  with  perfect  safety :  no  storm,  however  abnormal  its  character,  is  goiug  to  lessen  con- 
fidence in  general  rules  derived  from  experience  in  thousands  of  storms  and  in  every  ocean.  The 
"trough  phenomena."  as  an  eminent  meteorologist  has  called  the  violent  squalls,  with  shifts  of 
wind  and  change  of  conditions  generally  at  about  the  time  of  lowest  barometer,  are  to  be  expected 
and  guarded  against  in  every  storm,  and  sailors  have  long  ago  summed  them  up.  to  store  away 
iu  memory  for  practical  use  when  occasion  demands,  in  the  well  known  lines — 

First  rise  after  low 
Indicates  a  stronger  blow. 

These  lines  do  not,  of  course,  take  into  consideration  the  fact  that  if  the  depression  of  the  storm 
center  is  deepeuing,,or,  as  we  may  say,  the  energy  of  the  storm  increasing,  the  violent  shift  of  wind 
and  "stronger  blow"  will  be  experienced  before  the  time  of  lowest  barometer,  an  occurrence  vei-y 
frequently  illustrated  during  the  storm  now  under  consideration.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  storm 
is  decreasing  iu  violence,  the  change  may  occur  some  time  after  the  barometer  has  begun  to  rise. 
There  are  many  similar  verses  that  are  well  known  among  sailors,  and  while  most  of  them  may 
seem  very  crude  and  some  of  them  involve  rules  of  action  that  can  not  be  recommended,  yet  on  the 
whole  they  serve  a  very  useful  purpose,  and  are  often  remembered  and  acted  upon  long  after  more 
elaborate  rules  have  been  forgotten. 

It  has  called  attention  anew  to  the  sudden  deepening  of  depressions  upon  reaching  the  coast, 
and  the  corresponding  increase  of  energy  to  be  expected,  a  lesson  that  should  be  boine  in  mind 
by  every  navigator  leaving  port  with  a  falling  barometer  and  other  signs  of  a  storm.  It  has  re- 
minded us  of  the  vitally  important  influence  of  the  Gulf  Stream  iu  causing  such  increase  of  energy, 
and  to  the  necessity  of  closely  watching  this  great  warm  ocean-current  and  noting  any  abnormal 
conditions  of  volume,  velocity,  temperature,  or  position ;  especially  so  during  the  spring  and  autumn 
months,  the  periods  of  most  rapid  change  in  the  conditions  of  oceanic  and  atmospheric  circulation. 
The  accompanying  Barometer  Diagram,  if  studied  in  connection  with  the  Track  Chart  and  the 
Weather  Chart  for  March  11,  illustrates  very  clearly  this  deepening  of  the  depression  at  the 
28 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


storm  center.  It  may  be  said  in  this  connection,  however,  that  it  would  seem  wholly  impossible  to 
have  foretold  the  formation  and  persistency  off  Block  Island  of  a  secondary  storm  center  of  such 
energy  as  was  developed  in  this  case,  so  far  as  onr  present  knowledge  is  concerned,  and  a  predic- 
tion to  that  effect  made  under  similar  circumstances  would  probably  prove  wrong  in  at  least  nine 
cases  out  of  ten. 

It  has  enforced  in  most  unmistakable  terms  the  importance,  not  only  to  our  extensive  shipping 
interests  but  to  the  people  of  all  our  great  sea-board  cities,  of  the  establishment  of  telegraphic 
signal  stations  at  outlying  points  off  the  coast:  at  St.  Johns  (or  Cape  Race)  and  Sable  Island,  to 
watch  the  movement  of  areas  of  high  barometer,  upon  which  that  of  the  succeeding  "  low  "  so 
largely  depends;  and  at  Bermuda.  Nassau,  and  various  points  in  the  West  Indies  and  Windward 
Islands,  that  we  may  be  forewarned  of  the  approach  and  progress  of  the  terrific  hurricanes  which, 
summer  after  summer,  bring  devastation  and  destruction  along  our  Gulf  and  Atlantic  coasts,  and 
of  whose  fury  this  great  storm  is  an  approximate  example  and  a  timely  reminder.  Moreover, 
there  are  other  important  objects  to  be  gained,  in  addition  to  the  better  forecasting  of  stormy 
weather  off  our  coasts  and  along  the  transatlantic  routes.  Every  edition  of  the  Pilot  Chart  re- 
cords the  latest  reported  position  of  numerous  derelict  vessels  and  other  dangers  to  navigation  — 
submerged  wrecks,  buoys  adrift,  icebergs,  and  masses  of  field  ice.  But  at  present  such  reports 
are  necessarily  several  days  old,  and  the  present  positions  of  these  dangerous  obstructions  must 
be  roughly  estimated,  allowing  for  their  probable  drift  in  the  interval  of  time  that  has  elapsed  since 
the  report  was  made.  There  are  recorded,  also,  the  probable  limits  of  frequent  fog  for  the  ensuing 
month  and  the  regions  where  fog  was  most  frequently  reported  during  the  preceding  mouth.  But 
general  averages  only  give  the  regions  where  fog  is  most  likely  to  be  encountered;  they  do  not  and 
can  not  attempt  to  state  whether  or  no  there  will  be  a  fog  at  a  given  place  at  a  given  time.  But 
scientific  research  and  practical  inveutive  genius,  advancing  hand  in  hand  for  the  benefit  of  man- 
kind, have  discovered  not  only  the  laws  governing  the  formation  of  the  dense  banks  of  fog  that 
liave  made  the  Grand  Banks  dreaded  by  navigators,  but  also  the  means  by  which  certain  facts 
may  be  observed,  telegraphed,  charted,  and  studied  a  thousand  miles  away,  and  the  occurrence  of 
fog  predicted  witli  almost  unfailing  accuracy,  even  whilst  the  very  elements  themselves  are  only 
preparing  for  its  formation.  By  means  of  such  predictions  the  safety  of  navigation  along  the 
greatest  higway  of  ocean  traffic  in  the  world  would  be  vastly  increased  —  routes  traversed  yearly  at 
almost  railway  speed  by  vessels  intrusted  with  more  than  a  million  human  lives  and  property  of 
an  aggregate  value  of  fully  a  billion  dollars. 

To  masters  of  vessels  of  every  nationality  whose  voluntary  and  cordial  co-operation  have 
alone  rendered  it  possible  to  write  this  history  with  any  completeness,  it  is  hoped  that  this  brief 
.discussion  will  emphasize  the  importance  of  accurately  and  carefully  taking  and  recording  meteor- 
ological observations,  both  at  frequent  intervals  during  stormy  weather,  when  the  conditions  are 
changing  rapidly,  and  at  stated  times  during  fair  weather  as  well.  The  character  and  progress  of 
a  storm  are  not  isolated  phenomena  which  can  be  considered  and  discussed  from  a  knowledge  of 
the  conditions  that  hold  good  over  a  limited  area;  on  the  contrary,  to  be  thoroughly  understood 
there  must  be  at  hand  a  large  number  of  reliable  observations,  taken  with  instruments  whose  errors 
are  known  by  means  of  a  recent  comparison  with  standard,  and  from  vessels  at  various  points  over 
a  wide  tract  of  ocean.  The  importance  of  the  simultaneous  observations  is  illustrated  by  the  ac- 
companying charts,  based  almost  entirely  upon  them.  By  means  of  such  data  the  isobars  and 
isotherms  of  the  continents,  plotted  on  the  daily  international  chart  by  means  of  data  taken  at  laud 
stations  in  every  civilized  country  of  the  globe,  can  be  extended  across  the  intervening  oceans, 
forming  on  one  sheet  an  instantaneous  photograph,  as  it  were,  of  the  meteorological  conditions  of 
an  entire  hemisphere. 

Finally,  it  may  be  safely  said  that  nothing  will  more  forcibly  attract  the  attention  of  the  practial 
navigator  than  the  new  and  striking  illustrations  which  have  been  furnished  by  reports  from  vari- 
ous masters  of  vessels,  caught  in  the  terrific  winds  and  violent  cross  seas  of  this  great  storm,  rel- 
ative to  the  use  of  oil  to  prevent  heavy  broken  seas  from  coming  on  board.  Nor  can  anything  be 
more  gratifying  to  this  Office  than  to  receive  constantly  such  conclusive  proof  that  its  eftbrts  to 
force  this  subject  upon  the  attention  of  navigators  by  means  of  the  Pilot  Chart  and  various  other 
publications  have  resulted  in  such  a  notable  decrease  in  the  unavoidable  dangers  of  the  sea. 


APPENDIX 


MISCELLANEOUS   METEOROLOGICAL   DATA. 
WRECKAGE   ALONG  THE   COAST. 
DETAILED   STORM   REPORTS. 
GREENWICH  NOON  OBSERVATIONS. 


31 


MISCELLANEOUS  METEROLOGICAL  DATA. 


TOTAL  WIND  MOVEMENT,  MARCH  11-14. 
The  following  figures  are  selected  from  data  published  by  the  U.  S.  Signal  Service : 

Milea.  •  Miles. 

Block  Islaud,  R.I 2,992   Hatteras,  N.  C 2,292 

Philadelphia,  Pa 2, 552  j  Boston,  Mass 2,212 

Eastport,  Me 2,529   Norfolk,  Va 2,201 

Atlantic  City,  N.  J 2,526   New  York,  N.  Y 2,189 

SMUV  AND  RAIN-FALL  IN  SOUTHERN  NEW  ENGLAND,  MARCH  11-14. 

Prof.  Winslow  Upton,  secretary  to  the  New  England  Meteorological  Society,  says  (American 
Meteorological  Journal,  May,  1888) : 

In  the  region  embracing  nearly  the  southern  half  of  Vermont  and  of  New  Hampshire  west  of  the  Merrimac,  the 
western  half  of  Massachusetts,  nearly  the  whole  of  Connecticut  and  of  New  York  east  of  the  Hudson  as  far  north  as 
Luke  George,  the  average  depth  of  uumelted  snow  exceeded  30  inches,  while  in  central  Connecticut  and  a  large  part 
of  eastern  New  York  the  average  fall  was  over  40  inches.  Within  this  area  there  seems  to  have  been  a  region  near  the 
Connecticut  River  in  Massachusetts  where  the  fall  was  a  little  less  than  30  inches,  and  a  more  marked  region  in  the 
vicinity  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  where  the  fall  was  less  than  20  inches.  In  Rhode  Island  and  eastern  Massachusetts, 
where  the  precipitation  was  snow  and  rain  mixed,  the  amount  of  rain  was  excessive.  Some  of  the  snow-drifts  actu- 
ally measured  were  of  astonishing  height.  In  Bangall,  Dntchess  County,  N.  Y.,  the  measurements  gave  heights  from 
15  to  40  feet,  and  in  Cheshire,  New  Haven  County,  Conn.,  one  of  38  feet  was  measured.  The  maximum  precipitation 
reported  was  at  Middletown,  Conn..  5.76  inches. 

The  detailed  chart  of  isobars  and  isotherms  for  10  p.  m.,  March  12,  accompanying  Professor 
Upton's  paper,  shows  a  difference  of  temperature  of  25°  in  75  miles  (from  southeastern  Massachu- 
setts to  central  Connecticut). 

The  precipitation  mentioned  above  may  be  considered  heavy,  although  by  no  means  remark- 
able. Had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that  in  the  vicinity  of  New  York  it  was  almost  wholly  iu  the 
form  of  snow,  causing  great  obstruction  to  traffic  and  almost  entire  suspension  of  business,  it  would 
not  have  attracted  such  great  attention.  The  heaviest  rain-falls  probably  occur  in  India;  in  northern 
Bengal,  for  instance,  a  daily  average  of  12,1  inches  of  rain  fell  from  May  28  to  June  3,  1887,  and  at 
Dewangunj.  district  of  Mymeusingh,  19.67  inches  iu  one  day  (June  1, 1887),  equal  to  1,600,000  tons 
of  water  per  square  mile.  At  Cherrapungi,  Assam,  about  300  miles  NE.  from  Calcutta,  the  arer- 
age  annual  rainfall  is  493  inches,  of  which  325  inches  fell  in  June,  July  and  August ;  iu  one  year 
(1861)  905  inches  fell,  in  one  mouth  (August,  1841),  264  inches,  and  in  one  day  (June  14,  1876), 
41  inches. 

WATERSPOUT*  REPORTED  DURING  THE  STORM. 

Captain  Brunu,  Norwegian  steam-ship  Fatdrelandet,  observed  a  number  of  small  waterspouts, 
probably  twenty  or  thirty,  March  14,  between  4  and  8  a.  m.  (ship's  time),  latitude  34°  507  N.,  longi- 
tude 74°  41'  W.,  to  latitude  353  3'  X.,  longitude  74°  41'  W.  They  were  traveling  with  the  wind,  which 
was  blowing  a  heavy  gale  from  NN\Y.,  and  rotating  in  a  direction  opposite  to  the  motion  of  the  hands 
of  a  watch.  The  weather  was  threatening  and  stormy  looking,  with  very  wet  fog.  Temperature  of 
the  air  4G3  ;  water  723.  Barometer  29.72  (corrected).  This  report  is  especially  interesting  when 
3346  ST 5  33 


34 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


considered  in  connection  with  the  following  report,  received  from  Captain  Bermpobl,  British  steam- 
ship Samana,  who  was  about  60  miles  to  leeward  of  the  Faedrelandet,  and  who  reports  that  on  March 
14,  latitude  34°  10'  N.,  longitude  74°  16'  W.,  he  observed  many  waterspouts  between  8  a.  m.  and 
noon.  It  will  be  noticed  that  both  vessels  were  in  the  southwest  quadrant  of  the  storm;  a  cold 
northwesterly  gale  was  blowing  over  the  warm  Gulf  Stream  current,  and  the  waterspouts  sighted 
by  Captain  Brunn  near  the  western  edge  of  the  stream  were  evidently  associated  with  those  sighted 
a  few  hours  later  by  Captain  Beriopohl,  60  miles  to  leeward.  An  excellent  detailed  report  iu;ide 
out  by  First  Officer  O'Brien,  of  the  Samana,  gives  many  interesting  particulars  regarding  the  spouts 
sighted  from  that  vessel.  They  were  of  different  sizes,  all  ascending  with  a  spiral  motion  to  the 
clouds  and  then  disappearing.  One  came  within  about  a  mile  of  the  ship,  and  they  were  all  within 
from  one  to  three  miles.  They  appeared  to  rotate  in  a  direction  against  the  hands  of  a  watch,  and 
were  traveling  in  a  southerly  direction.  There  was  a  strong  gale  from  west,  hauling  to  northwest, 
with  occasional  snow,  and  a  blinding  spray  flying  over  the  vessel.  Clouds,  cirro-cumulus  and 
stratus.  Temperature  of  water  74°. 


A  FEW  GULF  STREAM  REPORTS. 

From  among  the  many  reports  at  hand  relative  to  the  Gulf  Stream,  the  following  may  be  quoted 
as  being  of  special  interest  in  this  connection. 

Captain  Freeman,  American  steam-ship  Hudson,  at  New  York,  February  28,  from  New  Orleans, 
reports  that  he  encountered  an  unusually  strong  current  in  the  straits  of  Florida,  strongest 
between  Fowey  Rocks  and  Jupiter.  Passed  Fowey  Rocks  at  a  distance  of  about  0  miles,  Jupiter 
Inlet,  12  miles;  there  was  a  light  SSE.  wind,  and  it  had  been  blowing  from  that  direction  for 
several  days.  From  Sombrero  to  Alligator  had  a  4  knot  current,  arid  it  continued  strong  as  far 
north  as  latitude  31°  N.,  when  it  slowed  down,  running  about  2  knots  with  the  ship,  from  latitude 
31°  N.  to  latitude  34°  N.,  on  a  course  about  NE.,  near  the  western  edge  of  the  stream.  The  tem- 
perature of  the  surface  water  was  as  follows,  at  noon,  Greenwich  mean  time,  each  day : 


Date. 

T.at.  N. 

Long.  W. 

Temperature. 

Feb.  24... 

'    24°.  20' 

82°.  05' 

77° 

Feb.  25.... 

29  .08 

79  .47 

78 

Feb.  26.... 

33  .34 

76  .43 

72 

Feb.  27.... 

37  .24 

74  .30 

48 

The  above  is  a  fair  sample  of  reports,  showing  that  the  current  was  unusually  strong  toward 
the  end  of  February;  during  the  first  ten  days  of  March  the  prevailing  winds  were  southeasterly 
and  southerly,  still  further  increasing  its  volume,  velocity,  and  temperature. 

The  reports  that  are  quoted  below  are  merely  isolated  reports,  indicating  in  a  very  gt-neral 
way  the  effect  upon  the  Gulf  Stream  of  the  long-continued  northwest  gale. 

Captain  Philbrook,  American  schooner  Fostino,  reports  that  at  noon,  March  l.'i,  li is  position 
was  latitude  26°  10'  N.,  longitude  79°  49'  W.  The  wind  was  then  NNW.,  force  8,  and  the  se.i 
heavier  than  he  had  ever  seen  it  in  the  Gulf  Stream.  To  the  northward  of  the  thirtieth  parallel 
he  could  detect  no  current  whatever. 

Captain  Daniel,  British  steam-ship  Caribbean,  states  that  on  March  14,  at  G  p.  in.  (ship's 
time),  latitude  37°  50' N.,  longitude  54°  53'  W.,  he  encountered  a  strong  race  of  current,  with  a 
strong  current  ripple  at  times;  temperature  of  water,  Go0.  A  current  ripple  was  also  noticed  on 
the  IGth,  latitude  40°  27'  N.,  longitude  47°  1'  W. 

Captain  Cates,  American  brig  Arcot,  reports  that  on  March  1G  he  found  a  band  of  warm  Gulf 
current,  temperature  75°,  latitude  35°  2'  N.,  longitude  70°  5'  W.,  to  latitude  35°  20'  N.,  longitude 
71°  33'  W.,  setting  to  the  south  westward,  with  a  band  of  cold  water  (temperature  4.3°)  between  it  and 
the  main  stream,  which  seemed  to  be  some  60  miles  to  the  southeast  of  its  usual  position. 

Captain  Barstow,  American  bark  James  8.  fit-one,  reports  as  follows:  March  19. latitude  30°  12' 
N.,  longitude  73°  17'  W.,  crossed  the  inner  edge  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  which  was  very  clearly  denned 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


35 


as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.    The  current  itself,  running  about  ENE.,  could  be  easily  di.s 
tinguished,  flowing  past  the  colder  wall  of  water  along  its  western  boundary.    The  wind  at  the 
time  was  very  light  and  the  sea  smooth. 

BAROMETER  OSCILLATIONS. 

Remarkable  fluctuations  of  the  bargmeter  are  reported  as  follows: 

American  schooner  Xantasket,  about  70  miles  E.  from  Cape  Henry.  Lowest  barometer,  29.50, 
at  10  p.  in.,  March  11.  For  the  first  twelve  hours,  and  in  fact  for  nearly  twenty-four  hours,  the 
barometer  vibrated  in  the  most  remarkable  way,  as  much  as  .13  inch  at  a  time. 

Xew  York  pilot  boat  Caprice,  off  Sandy  Hook.  From  5  to  C  a.  m.,  March  12,  the  barometer 
oscillated  between  29.60  and  29.70. 

New  York  pilot-boat  Edu-ard  E.Barrett;  position  at  noon,  March  13,  latitude  40°  23' N., 
longitude  70°  15'  W.  Barometer  29.21  at  4  a.  m.,  oscillating  from  29.10  to  29.26. 

American  schooner  Ellen  M.  Golder,  about  30  miles  S.  from  Shinnecock,  Long  Island.  March 
12,  2  p.  m.,  barometer  vibrating  between  29.09  and  29.07. 

ELECTRIC  PHENOMENA. 

The  following  table  has  been  prepared,  for  convenience  of  reference,  of  reports  of  electric 
phenomena.  The  original  reports  may  be  consulted  for  additional  and  more  detailed  information. 


Vessel. 

Date. 

Approximate  position. 

James  S.  Stone  

M«r.  11  
do      .. 

Latitude  33°  X.,  longitude  75'  W. 
Latitude  41°  V    loir'itude  57D  W. 

Mtlissa  Trask 

do 

Off  Hattera.s. 

..  do 

Latitude  4°°  V.   longitude  50°  W. 

do 

Latitude  32D  \.  longitude  7(P  W. 

"Warren  B  Potter                    .  . 

do 

Off  Hatteras 

Bengore  Head  

Mar.  12  
do     .. 

Latitude  39?  X.,  longitude  6:T>  W. 
Latitude  35:  X    longitude  63°  W. 

do   

Latitude  39^  X.   longitude  72°  W. 

do    

Latitude  31a  X.   longitude  74°  W. 

Glenburn  
Anna  
Faedrelandet  ... 

Mar.  13  
Mar.  H  
....do  

Latitude  323  X.,  longitude  60°  W. 
Latitude  413  X.,  longitude  52°  W. 
Latitude  35°  X..  longitude  74°  W. 

Anna  

Mar.  15  

Latitude  42=  X.,  longitude  54°  W. 

EXTRACT  FROM  THE  CANADIAN  MONTHLY  WEATHER  REVIEW. 

The  following  extract  from  the  Monthly  Weather  Review  for  March,  published  by  the  meteor- 
ological service  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  Prof.  Charles  Carpmael,  director,  will  be  found  of 
interest  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the  great  storm  : 

Until  the  morning  of  the  8th  the  pressure  in  the  northwest  had  been  generally  of  an  anti-cyclonic  nature,  with  con- 
tinned  cold  fine  weather.  A  depression,  however,  which  had  apparently  moved  in  from  the  Pacific,  had  crossed  the 
Rocky  Mountains  on  the  8th,  and  its  northern  limits,  which  then  extended  over  the  northwest,  caused  a  snowfall 
throughout  the  Territories,  and  for  a  short  time  a  little  milder  weather  in  Manitoba,  which,  however,  was  succeeded 
again  on  the  9th  by  higher  pressure  and  fine  cold  weather. 

On  the  night  of  the  9th  the  reports  showed  a  new  developing  anti-cyclone  over  the  whole  northwest  and  western 
Stites  and  Territories;  the  earlier  anti-cyclone  which  had  hovered  in  the  northwest,  now  central  over  Quebec,  and 
the  cyclonic  system  from  the  Pacific  as  an  elongated  trough  of  low  pressure  stretching  from  Lake  Superior  to  Texas. 

During  the  10th  a  slow  easterly  progression  of  these  systems  took  place.  The  wind  increased  in  the  Lake  Dis- 
trict from  the  E.  and  S.,  and  higher  temperature  and  rain  became  general.  Next  day  this  movement  continued,  the 
anti-cyclones  keeping  their  relative  positions,  and  the  cyclonic  trough  now  showing  as  two  distinct  but  small  depi-es- 
sions.  one  of  which  was  by  night  dispersing  over  Quebec,  whilst  the  other  was  increasing  in  .energy  over  the  Middle 
Atlantic  coast,  and  snow  had  extended  with  higher  temperatures  to  Quebec. 

At  7  a.  m.  on  the  12th  the  northern  depression  had  disappeared,  the  two  anti-cyclones  had  apparently  joined 
forces  over  eastern  Canada,  and  the  southern  cyclone  was  developing  in  energy,  accompanied  by  a  heavy  snowf:;Jl 
in  the  New  England  States.  By  the  13th  it  had  developed  into  a  severe  storm  ;  a'gale  of  wind  extended  throughout 


36 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


the  Lake  and  eastern  districts,  accompanied  by  snow  in  Ontario,  Quebec,  aud  New  Brunswick,  and  rain  in  Nova  Scotia, 
heavy  drifts  seriously  impeding  railway  traffic.  The  cyclone  continued  to  hover  over  or  near  the  New  England 
coast  and  gradually  dispersed  there,  causing  a  continuance  of  high  winds  in  Quebec  and  the  maritime  provinces 
till  the  night  of  the  14th,  by  which  time  high  pressure  had  spread  over  the  country  with  fairer  weather,  accompanied 
by  decidedly  low  temperatures  in  Ontario,  and  continued  moderate  temperatures  in  the  eastern  provinces. 

• 

BAHAMA  ISLANDS.  __ 

Commander  Ed.  Scohell  Clapp,  R.  N.,  inspector  of  imperial  light-houses,  Nassau,  N.  P.,  has 
forwarded  a  very  complete  detailed  report  of  observations  made  on  board  the  light-house  tender 
Richmond,  March  10-15.  The  report  came  to  hand  too  late  to  be  used  in  the  preparation  of  this 
monograph,  but  the  following  extracts  are  published  as  of  special  interest  in  this  conectiou  : 


Date. 

Time. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Tber. 
raometer. 

Weatber. 

Remarks. 

o 

Mar.     11 

Noon  

S.byE.   6 

30.068 

U 

o.  m. 

At  ancbor  1J  miles  WNW.  from 

Elbow  Cay  light,  Abaco. 

Mar.     12 

4  a.  m  

N.            7 

29.884 

C8 

o.g. 

2  a.  m.,  trinil  shitted  from  SW. 

toNNW.;  2.30  a.m.,bar.  29.864. 

8  a.  m  

N.            7 

29.  968 

69 

o.g. 

Mar.    13 

Noon  ..... 

WNW.  6 

30.  037 

69 

b.  c.  m. 

1  p.  m.,  passed  oat  through  Man 

of  War  Channel. 

4  p.  m  

W.           7 

29.9U7 

68 

b.  c.  m. 

Mar.     14 

8a.  m  

NW.        5 

30.  039 

69 

be. 

7a.m.,  off  Nassau;   bar  .break- 

ing,   danger    flag    hoisted    at 

light-house. 

BERMUDA. 

The  following  extracts  are  quoted  from  the  weekly  report  of  the  weather  at  Gibbs'  Hill  Light 
Station,  Bermuda,  published  in  the  Bermuda  Royal  Gazette;  observations  made  by  Josephus 
Perinchief,  at  noon,  local  mean  time. 


Date.' 

Wind. 

Barome- 
ter. 

Tber. 
mouieter. 

Remarks. 

0 

Mar.    11 

NW.             4 

30.  02 

58 

Fine. 

Mar.    12 

S.                  7 

29.55 

53 

Tbick,  rainy. 

Mar.     13 

WNW.         4 

29.61 

£6 

Unsettled,  squally. 

Mar.    14 

SW.              5 

29.50 

57 

Do. 

Mar.     15 

W.  to  NW.  7 

29.49 

55 

nail,  squalls,  aud  rain. 

Mar.     16 

NW.             C 

29.83 

C9 

Fine,  cloudy. 

WRECKAGE  ALONG  THE  COAST. 

NOTE. — This  list  has  been  carefully  revised  from  (he  latest  and  best  data  at  hand. 


NEW  ENGLAND. 

Along  the  New  England  coast  15  schooners  and  1  tag  were  damaged,  the  names  of  which 
follow : 

Schooner  Ida  E.  Latham,  Schooner  Nornia,  Schooner  S.  A.  Farkhurst, 

Schooner  Cordova,  Schooner  John  Somers,  Schooner  Wanderer, 

Schooner  Pamet,  Schooner  Dreadnaugbt,  Schooner  Maggie  Brnce, 

Pchooner  A.  C.  Parker,  Schooner  Emma  Jane,  Tng  Deo  Volente. 

Schooner  Lnln,    '  Schooner  Lizzie  Hayan, 

Schooner  Ella,  Schooner  M.  B.  Linscott, 

NEW  YORK  AND  LONG  ISLAXD. 

Of  the  vessi-ls  in  and  about  New  York  and  near  the  Long  Island  shores,  2  barks,  6  schooners, 
3  tug-boats  (one  with  a  tow).  5  pilot-boats.  2  lighters,  1  ferry-boat,  1  barge,  2  tows  of  G  barges  each, 
and  5  canal  boats  were  either  sunk  or  badly  damaged.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the  vessels  re- 
ported damaged : 

Bark  Stadacona,  Ferry-boat  Maid  of  Perth,  Pilot-boat  Ezra  Nye, 

Bark  Anna,  Tug-boat  S.  E.  Babcock,  Lighter  International, 

Schooner  Mary  McCabe,  Tug-boat  Gracie,  Lighter  Cement  Rock, 

Schooner  Lester  A.  Lewis,  Tug-boat  Trojan  and  tow,  Barge  Charles  N.  White, 

Schooner  Favorite,  Pilot-boat  Hope,  Two  tows  of  6  barges  each, 

Schooner  Little  Charlie,  Pilot-boat  Caldwell  H.  Colt,  Canal-boat  Green  Mountain, 

Schooner  Job  H.  Jackson.  Pilot-boat  Thomas  D.  Harrison,  Canal-boats  Nos.   14,   15,   40,   and 

Schooner  S.  S.  Scranton,  Pilot-boat  Edmund  Driggs,  3065. 

NEW  JERSEY. 

Along  the  Xew  Jersey  coast  and  in  the  Horse-shoe  at  Sandy  Hook.  3  schooners,  4  sloops,  5 
pilot-boats,  1  barge,  and  two  vessels  (names  unknown)  were  damaged: 

Schooner  Mary  Hfitman,  Sloop  Alert,  Barge  Hazeltine, 

Schooner  A.  B.  Crosby,  Sloop  Neptune,  Two  unknown  vessels. 

At  Horse-slioe,  Sandy  Hoot. 

Schooner  Mayflower,  Pilot-boat  Edmund  Blunt,  Pilot-boat  W.  W.  Story, 

Sloop  P.  T.  Baruum,  Pilot-boat  E.  H.  Williams,  Pilot-boat  Edward  Cooper. 

Sloop  Pocahontas.  Pilot-boat  Centennial, 

DELAWARE  RIVER. 

In  the  Delaware  Ki  ver  the  shipping  suffered  severely.  Of  the  large  fleet  of  vessels  which  sought 
refuge  at  the  Breakwater,  scarcely  one  escaped  without  damage.  Most  of  those  blown  ashore  at 
the  Breakwater  were  badly  wrecked.  From  reports  received,  1  ship,  3  barks,  2  barkentiues,  26 
schooners,  2  pilot-boats,  and  3  tugs  were  damaged  : 

Ship  Esther  Roy,  Schooner  W.  II.  Rntan,  Schooner  Kocheco, 

Bark  Brimiga,  Schooner  Rebecca  F.  Lamdin,  Schooner  Howard  Williams, 

Bark  Giacomo  Mortola.  Schooner  Benjamin  C.  Cromwell,  Schooner  Williams  C.  Wickham, 

Bark  Vanadis,  Schooner  Irene  Crawford.  Schooner  Windsor. 

Schooner  E.  G.  Irwin, 

37 


38 


THE  GEEAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


Barkentine  Zephyr, 
Barkentiue  Eva  Lynch, 
Schooner  Allie  H.  Belden, 
Schoouer  Elliot  L.  Dow, 
Schooner  John  Proctor, 
Schooner  Hester  A.  Seward, 
Schooner  Rebecca  M.  Smith, 
Schooner  Ahbie  P.  Craiimer, 


At  the  Breakwater. 

Schooner  Paul  &  Thompson, 
Schooner  George  L.  Fessenden, 
Schooner  Isabel  Alberto, 
Schooner  Earl  P.  Mason, 
Schooner  Flora  A.  Newcomh, 
Schooner  Elizabeth  S.  Lee, 
Schooner  George  W.  Anderson, 
Schooner  Providence, 

MARYLAND  AND  VIRGINIA. 


Schooner  Lizzie  V.  Hall, 
Schooner  Index, 
Schooner  William  G.  Bartlett, 
Pilot-boat  C.  W.  Tuuuell, 
Pilot-boat  Enoch  Turley, 
Tug-boat  George  J.  Simpson, 
Tug-boat  Li/./ie  Crawford, 
Tug-boat  Tamesi. 


In  the  harbor  of  Baltimore  there  was  no  in.iteriul  loss.  In  consequence  of  the  strong 
gale  the  water  in  the  harbor  was  lower  than  it  has  ever  been  in  the  memory  of  the  oldest 
steam-boat  men.  Ferry-boat  travel  was  interrupted;  steamers  at  the  Pratt  and  Light  street 
wharves  at  the  head  of  the  harbor  were  lying  in  the  mud ;  ocean  steamers  at  the  lower-harbor 
wharves  stopped  loading;  but  on  Wednesday,  the  14th,  the  Oregon,  drawing  24  feet  9  inches,  left 
the  harbor  without  difficulty. 

The  inclosed  list  gives  the  names,  so  far  as  can  be  found,  of  only  the  vessels  actually  reported 
as  having  been  damaged  in  the  Chesapeake  Bay  and  its  tributaries,  and  is  by  no  means  a  com- 
plete record  of  the  loss  to  the  small  dredgers  and  fishing-boats  in  the  bay.  Both  sides  of  the  bay 
seem  to  have  suffered  alike,  and  even  in  the  harbors  on  the  eastern  shore,  considered  very  safe 
ones,  the  loss  was  great. 

The  number  of  lives  lost  in  the  bay  and  its  tributaries  was  not  less  than  twenty,  all  incident 
to  the  loss  of  shipping. 

The  following  list  gives  the  names  of  2  barks,  78  schooners,  and  17  sloops  sunk,  wrecked,  or 

badly  damaged : 

Sunk  or  totally  wrecked. 


Schooner  Harriet  Ann, 
Schooner  C.  O.  Dougherty, 
Schooner  West  Wind, 
Schooner  W.  F.  Hines, 
Schooner  Mohawk, 
Schooner  Fire-fly, 
Schooner  Little  John, 
Schooner  Long  Line, 


Bark  Henry  Warner, 
Bark  Harvester, 
Schooner  Fanny  Southard, 
Schooner  Brunette, 
Schooner  Win .  T.  Goldsborough, 
Schooner  Solomon  F.  Kerwin, 
Schooner  Daniel  Brown, 
Schooner  Georgia, 
Schooner  Annie  Jones, 
Schooner  Caroline, 
Schooner  Cornelia, 
Schooner  Frolic. 
Schooner  Hugh  Bolton, 
Schooner  Three  Sisters, 
Schooner  Edward  Cobb, 
Schooner  William  Schmiuk, 
Schooner  Stephen  Chase, 
Schooner  Frank  Bateman, 
Schooner  Thomas  Hooper, 
Schooner  Kate  Lawson, 
Schooner  Mary  E.  Dennis, 
Schooner  Alonzo  Lee, 
Schooner  Shearwater, 
Schooner- American  Yacht, 


Schooner  Eastern  Light, 
Schooner  Canton, 
Schooner  Antietam, 
Schooner  Leading  Breeze, 
Schooner  William  Turner, 
Schoouer  Wenonah, 
Schooner  Galena, 
Schooner  M.  J.  Mardeu, 

liloirn  asJiorc  and  badly  damaged. 

Schooner  Lancelot, 
Schooner  Carrie  M.  Mass, 
Schooner  Ann  R.  Rodgers, 
Schooner  Capo  Charles, 
Schooner  Commodore, 
Schooner  Crosswell, 
Schooner  Eva, 
Schoouer  S.  T.  Muir, 
Schooner  Ella  Daris, 
Schooner  Buffalo, 
Schooner  Maud  S., 
Schooner  Anna  Brown, 
Schoouer  George  Lewmon, 
Schooner  Mary  Virginia, 
Schooner  Cleveland, 
Schoouer  Augusta, 
Schooner  Bratten, 
Schooner  Ocean  Bird, 
Schooner  William  B.  Price, 
Schooner  A.  H.  Schultz, 
Schooner  C.  A.  Brown, 
Schooner  Mary  E.  Coulborn, 
Schooner  Mary  C.  Ward, 
Schooner  Sea  View, 


Schooner  Constitution, 
Schooner  Vineyard, 
Schooner  Queen, 
Schooner  Gypsy, 
Sloop  Fire-fly, 
Sloop  T.  T.  Francis, 
Sloop  Flying  Trapeze, 
Sloop  Laviuia.  North. 


Schoouer  John  J.  Bell, 
Schooner  Lydia  Sanderson, 
Schooner  Greyhound, 
Schooner  Fashion, 
Schooner  Eva  Alice, 
Schooner  Mount  Vernon, 
Schooner  Emma, 
Schooner  Hattie  Estelle, 
Schooner  Lizzie  and  Mirrie, 
Schooner  Nona  May, 
Schooner  Qui  Vive, 
Sloop  Humming  Bird, 
Sloop  Lizzie, 

Sloop  Lady  Mollie  E.  Leonard, 
Sloop  Little  Dorrit, 
Sloop  Daniel  H.  Mayue, 
Sloop  Fleetwing, 
Sloop  O.  C.  Summers, 
Sloop  Thomas  R.  Powley, 
Sloop  Anna  Peterson, 
Sloop  Howard  T.  Leach, 
Sloop  Fly, 
Sloop  Lydia, 
Sloop  Lucy  V.  Fletcher. 


THE  GEE  AT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  39 

SOUTH  OF  HATTERAS. 

Very  little  damage  was  done  to  shipping  in  the  sounds  and  along  the  coast  of  North  Carolina, 
or  farther  south,  the  only  report  received  being  that  of  the  schooner  Aid,  sunk  at  the  wharf  at 

Columbus,  Gu. 

LOST  AT  SEA  WEST  OP  40°  WEST  LOSGITUDE. 

Bark  Johanna,  Bark  Nansika,  Schooner  Alice  Montgomery, 

Bark  Cortesia,  Schooner  W.  L.  White,  Schooner  James  Ford. 

VESSELS  MISSING  AND  PROBABLY  LOST. 

Schooner  John  F.  Merrow,  Schooner  Rachel  Ann  Collins,  Pilot-boat  Phantom, 

Schooner  Henry  S.  Cnlver,  Fishing-smack  Peter  Cooper,  Pilot-boat  Enchantress. 

Schooner  William  G.  Lewis,  Yacht  Cythera, 


DETAILED  STORM  REPORTS. 


With  tlie  exception  of  a  few  reports  quoted  in  fall  iu  the  text,  the  following  list  is  complete.  It 
is  arranged  alphabetically  by  names  of  vessels,  and  contains  all  detailed  storm  repoits  at  baud 
from  vessels  within  the  area  charted  at  any  time  during  the  four  days  under  consideration,  with 
the  exception  stated  above.  Barometer  readings  have  been  corrected  by  means  of  a  recent  com- 
parison with  standard,  unless  otherwise  noted. 

American  bark  Adam   W.  Spies,  Captain  Field. 

March  14.—  Position  at  noon,  latitude  28°  11'  N.,  longitude  64°  22'  W.    Wind  W.  by  S.,  8,  veering  to  WNW.  on  tl  e 

15th,  and  continuing  from  same  direction  till  noon  of  the  16th. 
March  16.— Position  at  noon,  latitude  26°  43'  N.,  longitude  65°  17'  W. 
This  was  the  same  westerly  gale  experienced  by  the  Wakefield. 

British  steam-ship  Ailsa,  Captain  Evans. 

March  11.— Gale  set  in  from  S.,  shifting  to  W.,  NVV.,  and  NE. 

March  14.— 7  a.  m.:  Latitude  37°  7'N.,  longitude  74°  W.,  barometer  29.89t. 

Ma*ch  15. — Gale  ended ;  highest  force  of  wind,v  10. 

British  steam-ship  Andes,  Captain  KUnksliel. 

(Southward-bound,  along  the  meridian  of  about  73°  40'  W.     Position  at  11  p.  m.,  March  11,  about  100  miles  NE 
by  E.  from  Hatteras.) 


Temperature. 

Date. 

Hour. 

AViiid. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Keinai  ks. 

Air. 

Water. 

Mar.     11 

4  a.  ni  ..... 

SE.       4-6 

30.32 

Noon 

30  01 

Latitude  37D  19'  N.,  longitude  73°  43'  W.     Wind  very  unsteady. 

4  p.  ra  

SSE  

29.  91) 

54 

54 

Wind  increasing  and  squally. 

29.57 

Wind  blowing  a  gale  and  increasing. 

20.33 

54 

51 

Lowest  barometer. 

SSE  

Strong  gale,  increasing,  anil  heavy  sea  from  SE. 

Wind  died  out,  and  for  10  minutes  there  was  a  dead  calm,  with 

the  sky  very  dark  and  threatening;  very  heavy  squalls  of  rain; 

barometer  steady  at  29.35  (lowest);  the  wind  then  jumped  out 

from  WNW.  and  blew  with  hurricane  force;  barometer  com- 

menced to  rise. 

Mar.    12 

Mid  oight  . 

29.61 

Rising  rapidly. 

4  a.  m  

NW  

29.  Cl 

r,i          co 

Hard  gale,  with  a  tremendous  heavy  sea  and  fierce  squalls.    Gale 

continuing  with  unabated  force. 

G  a.  m  



29.63 





Noon  

Latitude  34°  20'  N.,  longitude  73°  42'  W.    Very  heavy  gale  and 

sea  ;  sky  covered  ;  barometer  rising. 

6  p.  m  

NW  

29.93 





Weather  still  unsettled  ;  the  wind  continued  to  decrease  in  force 

and  the  barometer  to  rise  until  midnight,  when  it  registered 

29.96.    It  then  commenced  to  fall  slightly  and  wind  to  increase 

to  moderate  gale,  and  continued  squally  and  unsettled  through- 

out March  13. 

Mar.     13     Konn  .  .    -. 

Latitude  30°  21'  N.,  longitude  73^  36'  W.    High  westerly  winds 

and  squally  weather  continued  until  10  p.  m.,  March  14;  then 

fine  weather  throughout  rest  of  passage. 

40 


THE  GEEAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


41 


American  schooner  Anita,  Captain  Small. 

March  13.— 8  a.  m. :  Gale  from  XXW. 

March  14.— 4  a.  m. :  Latitude  33°  N.,  longitnde  78°  24'  W.     Barometer  29.83  (lowest). 

March  16.— 8  p.  m. :  Storm  ended.    Highest  force  of  wind,  10  ;  shifts  of  wind,  XXW.,  XW.,  SW. 

German  ship  Anna,  Captain  Metikeng. 

March  11.—  7  a.  m.:  Latitude  39°  47'  N.,  longitude  58°  10'  W. ;  wind  EKE.,  9;  barometer  29.90;  squally  and  rainy. 
March  12.— 7  a.  m.  :  Latitude  40°  38' X.,  longitude 56e  20' W. ;  wind  EXE.,  7  to  8;  barometer  30. 12;  overcast  and  squally. 
March  13.— 7  a.  m. :  Latitude  40°  48'  N.,  longitude  55°  37'  W. ;  wind  ESE.,  8 ;  barometer  29.77  ;  overcast  and  gloomy. 
March  14.— 3  a.  m. :  Latitude  41°  W  N.,  longitnde  54°  30'  W. ;  barometer  29°  57'  (lowest).    7  a.  m. :  Latitude  41°  16' 

N.,  longitnde  54°  38'  W. ;  wind,  W.  by  N.,  4  ;  barometer  29.67 ;  rainy.    Noon  :  Calm ;  then  light  southerly  winds, 

6  hours  of  rain,  thunder  and  lightning.     3  p.  m. :    Heavy  squalls,  with  heavy  rain. 
March  15. — Calms  and  light  southerly  and  westerly  winds,  with  heavy  squalls  and  a  great  deal  of  rain,  lightning,  and 

thunder.    7  a.  m. :  Latitude  41°  33'  N.,  longitnde  53°  42'  W.  ;  wind  SSE.,  3 ;  barometer  29  64  ;  gloomy. 
March  16. — Gale  set  in  from  the  NW.,  and  for  ten  hours  blew  a  whole  gale,  with  very  heavy  squalls  and  rain  ;  very 

high  sea.    7  a.  m. :   Latitude  41°  46'  N.,  longitnde  53°  47'  W. ;  wind  SW.,  2 ;  barometer  29.04  ;  clearing.     11  a.  m. : 

Latitude  41°  46'  N.,  longitude  53°  36'  W. ;  barometer  29.01  (lowest). 

American  ship  Annie  M.  Smutt,  Captain  Bailey. 

(Voyage  from  Colombo,  Ceylon,  to  New  York.) 

March  11.— Midnight  to  8  a.  m. :  Fresh  breeze  and  dull  overcast  sky.  5  a.  m. :  Went  out  of  the  stream,  hauled  up 
XXE..  and  went  in  again.  6  a.  m. :  Barometer  30.11 ;  chopping  cross-sea  all  night ;  wind  SE.,  5.  10  a.  in. : 
Fresh  and  quite  fine  for  a  SE.  wind;  went  out  of  the  stream  again  on  aX.  by  E.  course,  and  the  sea  got  smooth 
at  once:  barometer  30.06.  Noon  :  Latitude  36°  38'  X.,  longitnde  74°  9*  W. ;  barometer  30.02.  2  p.  m. :  Wind 
SE.,  5;  barometer  29.96.  4  p.  m. :  Barometer  29.86.  6  p.  m.  •  Barometer  29.76,  wind  increasing  to  force  6. 
10  p.  m. :  Wind  still  at  SE.,  force  7 ;  barometer 29.71 ;  sails  furled  to  lower  top-sails,  foresail,  and  upper  main- 
lopsail ;  weather  thick  and  rainy.  Midnight :  Barometer  29.66 ;  course  all  day  between  X.  and  XXE. 

March  12.— 2  a.  m. :  Wind  shifted  to  XXW.,  force  11  to  12;  barometer  29.61,  but  at  4  a.  m.  fell  to 29.36,  then  steadily 
rising  until  noon,  when,  in  latitude  39°  X.,  longitude  73°  40'  W.,  it  reached  29.51 ;  barometer  record  endod  here. 
At  -  a.  m.,  when  wind  shifted  to  XXW.,  braced  around,  clewed  down  upper  main-topsail  and  hauled  np  foresail 
and  mizzen-topsail  and  sent  men  to  furl  them,  but  gale  increased  to  a  hurricane  and  blew  them  to  pieces,  also 
blowing  lower  foretop-sail  away,  and  main-topsail  yard  broke  short  off  in  the  slings.  We  also  lost  both  topsails. 
Terrific  gale  and  blinding  snow,  ehip  lying  on  beam-ends  with  yard-arms  in  water  and  making  water  fast.  Ship 
covered  with  snow,  and  ice  making  fast.  At  10  a.  m.  shipped  a  sea  which  took  two  boats,  one  man,  and  every- 
thing about  decks;  saved  the  man  ;  five  m"n  with  hands  and  feet  frost-bitten  and  three  injured  by  washing 
about :  all  hands  lashed  to  pumps  and  working  them  continually.  All  rooms  and  galley  washed  ont ;  ship  lying 
with  hatch-coamings  under  water.  Cargo  shifted  at  8  p.  m.  ;  wheel-shaft  broke,  and  steering-gear  com- 
pletely smashed  ;  secured  rudder  with  tackle  as  well  as  possible.  Foreyard  sprung,  main-yard  gone  at  sheave- 
hole,  and  the  remainder  of  sails  cut  from  the  yards  to  keep  ship  to  wind.  Tarpaulin  in  inizzen  rigging.  Mid- 
night :  Gale  still  raging  and  frightful  sea  ;  oil-bags  over,  which  work  well  for  the  XW.  sea,  but  have  no  effect  on 
the  XE.  and  SE.  sea.  Pumps  still  going,  but  don't  gain  any;  4  feet  of  water  in  the  ship;  snowing  hard  all  the 
time.  This  is  the  worst  gale  I  ever  experienced  ;  ship  making  bad  work  of  it  and  straining  badly.  Eight  men 
unfit  for  duty  ;  bad  outlook ;  covered  with  snow  and  ice.  Hard  luck ! 

March  13. — Midnight  to  8  a.  m. :  Xo  change,  still  suowing,  and  gale  as  bad  as  ever;  ship  straining  badly,  and  can't 
gain  any  on  the  pumps,  working  them  continually  as  well  as  we  can  with  a  disabled  crew  ;  sea  very  bad,  making 
a  clean  breach  over  the  ship ;  at  daylight  a  little  less  wind,  and  sea  more  regular ;  still  snowing.  Xoon :  Moder- 
ating. At  3  p.  in. :  Set  upper  foretop-sail  and  jib ;  managed  to  get  before  the  wind ;  lost  the  jib.  I  intend  to  run 
for  warm  water  and  thaw  out;  steering  with  tackles  on  tiller ;  pumps  going  constantly,  no  suck  ;  ship  has  about 
4  feet  list  to  starboard  aud  steers  badly.  Bent  spare  lower  foretop-sail  and  set  it.  More  moderate  at  midnight. 
Xo  suck  on  the  pumps,  but  the  water  don't  gain  any  on  us;  all  right.  Heavy  snow  squalls.  Large  sea  from  N. 
My  hands  are  swelled  so  I  can  hardly  hold  a  pen. 

British  steam-ship  Baltimore.  Captain  Trencry. 


I).itc. 


; 


T.aM«ti.lo    I-ongitmK- 


li.iniini'trr.       Ti-mpcratiirt-. 


Win.1. 


Sea.     Remarks. 


Mur.  11 

41'  aV 



30.02      

H 

XE. 

8. 

XE. 

7.      H. 

12 

fil  =  03' 

30  02 

•-•8.71'          48 

48 

EXE. 

1 

SE. 

6. 

M.      Kainy. 

13 

41°  W 

.. 

29.42 

29.52          46 

40 

W. 

1 

Var. 

- 

C. 

Snow. 

14 

39-  «• 

-    n 

29.62 

29.82         40 

40 

Var. 

XXE 

5. 

M. 

Snow. 

I 

•jr.  n:    c.-r            <: 

42  THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

British  steam-ship  Benison,  Captain  Aitkenhead. 

March  13.— Position  at  noon,  latitude  37°  57'  N.,  longitude  63°  02'  W.     Gale  set  in  from  NW.,  8,  shifting  at  noon  to  W.; 

barometer  29.49. 
March  14.— Position  at  noon,  latitude  39°  05'  N.,  longitude  65°  10'  W.     Wind  backed  to  NW.  by  N.,  continuing  till 

5  p.  m.,  when  it  was  NNE.,  8  to  7;  barometer  at  noon,  29.44. 
March  15.— Position  at  noon,  latitude  39°  40'  N.,  longitude  67°  17'  W.     Continuation  of  gale  from  NE.  to  NE.  by  E., 

9  to  10,  and  moderating ;  barometer  29.62. 

British  steam-ship  Brooklyn  City,  Captain  Fitt. 

March  11.— 11.30  p.  m. :  Latitude  40°  35'  N.,  longitude  67°  27'  W. ;  wind  ESE.,  8;  barometer  30. 

March  12.—  3.30  a.  m. :  WindESE., 8;  barometer29.85;  heavy  sea.  7.30a.m.:  WindESE.,  9;  barometer  29.80.  11.30 
a.  in. :  Latitude 40°  45'  N.,  longitude  65°  39'  W. ;  squally,  with  heavy  rain  ;  wind  ESE.,  9 ;  barometer  29.70.  4  p. 
m. :  Wind  ESE.,  10;  barometer  29.55  ;  heavy  sea,  rainy.  7.30  p.  ui. :  Latitude  40°  45'  N.,  longitude  64°  40'  W. ; 
wind  SE.,  10 ;  barometer  29.40.  11  p.  m.  :  Wind  veered  to  W.  ;  high,  confused  sea.  [The  barometer  continued 
to  fall  after  shift  of  wind,  but  the  wind  from  W.  seems  to  be  noticeably  less  severe  than  from  SE.  (before  shift ), 
probably  in  largo  part  due  to  the  fact  that  the  vessel  was  steaming  to  the  eastward.]  11.30  p.  m.  :  Latitude 
40°  53'  N.,  longitude  64°  20'  W. ;  wind  W.,  7;  barometer  29.35. 

March  13. — 3.30  a.  m.  :  Wind  W.,C;  barometer29.36  ;  overcast;  high  confused  sea.  7.30  a.  m. :  Wind  W.,  5;  barom- 
eter 29.38.  11.30  a.  m. :  Latitude  40°  53'  N.,  longitude  62°  51'  W.  ;  wind  W.,  5  ;  barometer  29.40  and  rising. 

British  steam-ship  Caribbean,  Captain  Daniel. 

March  12.— Gale  set  in  from  SSE.,  8.  Noon  position,  latitude  33°  N.,  longitude  63°  W.  Barometer  29.30,  lowest.  Mod- 
erated at  midnight. 

German  steam-ship  Catania,  Captain  Franck. 

(Baltimore  to  Rio  Janeiro.) 

March  11.— About  200  miles  SW.  by  W.  from  Bermuda.  At  7.30  a.  m.,  light  breeze  from  ESE. ;  fine  weather ;  barom- 
eter 30.22.  Wind  then  died  away. 

March  12. — From  morning  to  afternoon,  strong  gale  from  SSW.,  shifting  to  W.  and  NW.  Heavy  rain  during  night, 
followed  by  fine  weather  and  moderate  sea.  Lowest  barometer  at  3  p.  m.,  29.71,  in  latitude  28°  20'  N.,  longitude 
6.")°  50'  W.  Gale  lasted  only  a  few  hours.  Highest  force  of  wind,  10. 

March  13. — Light,  variable  winds,  fine  weather,  and  high  rolling  sea  from  NNAV. 

New  York  pilot-boat  Charles  H.  Marshall  (No.  3). 

(Report  communicated  by  Boat-keeper  Robinson,  in  behalf  of  the  pilots  of  No.  3.) 

March  10. — A.  M. :  Left  Statenlsland  on  a  cruise  to  the  southward  ;  moderate  breeze  from  ENE.,  which  continued  all 
day.  At  7  p.  m.  we  hove  to,  with  the  Highland  Light  in  sight,  bearing  NNW.  distant  18  miles.  At  8  p.  ni.  the 
wind  began  to  increase  .and  it  commenced  to  rain  ;  double-reefed  the  sails  and  lay  hove-to  all  night. 

March  11. — At  4  a.  m.  the  wind  had  moderated  considerably,  and,  as  it  hauled  more  to  the  southward,  put  all  sail  on 
the  beat  and  steered  to  the  south  in  company  with  No.  4  and  No.  6.  At  7.30  a.  m.  put  Pilot  Ackerman  on  board 
of  an  inward-bound  vessel.  At  9  a.  m.  it  commenced  to  blow  from  SE.,  so  concluded  to  go  no  farther  to  the 
southward.  Put  single  reefs  in  all  sails  and  laid  to  for  about  an  hour ;  were  then  about  18  miles  E.  by  S.  from 
Barnegat  Light.  At  10  a.  m.  the  pilots,  who  are  good  judges  of  the  weather,  thought  by  the  threatening  weather 
that  there  was  going  to  be  a  storm,  but  not  so  bad  a  one  as  it  proved  to  be.  Put  two  nioie  reefs  in  the  sails  and 
steered  to  the  northward,  intending  to  go  in  for  harbor  if  possible.  At  4  p.  in.  it  was  blowing  a  moderate  gale 
from  SE.,  increasing  at  5  p.  in.  to  a  strong  gale,  when  put  three  reefs  in  the  mainsail  and  furled  the  jib  ;  were 
then  about  18  miles  SE.  from  the  light-ship;  but  it  shut  down  a  dense  fog,  so  would  not  run  in,  but  concluded  to 
stop  out  and  take  it  as  it  came,  which  it  did.  Hove  to  on  the  starboard  tack,  heading  to  the  eastward,  remaining 
that  way  until  2  a.  m.,  March  12. 

March  12. — At  2  a.  lu.  wore  around,  the  wind  hauling  to  the  east.  At  3  a.  in.  the  wind  moderated,  but  the  weather 
looked  so  threatening  in  the  NW.  that  the  fourth  reef  was  taken  in  the  mainsail  and  treble  reefed  the  foresail. 
At  3.30  a.  m.  the  wind  died  out  completely,  and  the  boat  lay  broadside  on  to  the  heavy  SE.  sea,  which  was  threat- 
ening every  minute  to  engulf  the  little  craft ;  but  she  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  wind,  for  at  3.55  a.  m.,  at 
which  time  were  about  12  miles  ESE.  from  Sandy  Hook  Light-ship,  it  came  out  from  the  NW.  with  such  force 
that  the  boat  went  over  on  her  beam  ends,  but  righted  again  immediately.  In  two  hours  the  boat  was  so 
much  iced  up  by  the  snow  and  water  that  struck  her  that  she  resembled  a  small  iceberg.  At  8  a.  m.  the 
wind  increased  to  a  hurricane.  Had  to  lower  the  foresail,  but  before  the  sail  could  be  hauled  down  had 
to  get  iron  bars  and  sledge-hammers  to  beat  the  ice  off  the  ropes  and  mast,  and  even  then  only  got  it  down 
about  half-way,  so  had  to  lash  it  up  with  ropes  the  beat  way  possible,  to  save  it  from  blowing  away.  Then  hauled 
down  the  fore  stay-sail  and  did  the  same  thing  with  it,  much  at  the  risk  of  the  lives  of  the  crew,  for  the  seas  by  this 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  43 

time  were  running  in  every  direction,  owing  to  the  NW.  sea  coming  down  in  contact  with  the  one  from  SE. 
The  little  vessel  was  in  danger  of  being  swamped,  for  no  one  but  those  who  were  ont  in  that  blizzard  and  saw 
those  large  breaking  seas  coming  down  on  top  of  her  know  what  danger  she  was  in.  At  10  a.  m.  the  snow  and 
rain  came  with  such  force  that  it  was  impossible  to  loot  to  windward,  and  the  boat  was  lying  broadside  on  to  the 
sea,  heading  about  SW.*  At  10.30  a.  m.  Captain  Partridge  proposed  that  a  drag  of  some  kind  should  be  put  out 
to  help  keep  the  boat  head  to  sea.  So  took  the  hawser,  which  was  of  5-inch  rope  and  85  fathoms  in  length,  and 
put  a  sling  upon  the  anchor  pole  (which  was  a  heavy  piece  of  teak-wood  16  feet  long,  5  inches  in  diameter,  and 
iron  bound),  then  took  the  hawser  through  the  hawse-pipe  and  bent  it  to  the  sling  on  the  pole;  then  lashing  the 
two  windlass-brakes  and  a  small  kedge-anchor  to  the  pole,  hove  it  overboard,  paying  out  the  full  length  of  the 
hawser.  This  checked  the  boat  a  little,  but  did  not  have  the  desired  effect.  It  was  certain  that  something  must 
be  done  to  save  the  boat,  so  oil  was  proposed,  and  three  oil-bags  were  made  oat  of  dock,  about  20  by  14  inches, 
and  half  filled  with  oakum  saturated  with  oil.  These  were  put  over  the  side,  one  forward,  one  amidships,  and 
»  one  on  the  weather-quarter.  This  is  positively  what  saved  the  boat  and  the  crew's  lives,  for  the  oil  would  break 
the  sea  and  nothing  but  the  swell  would  remain,  which  was  bad  enough  itself.  The  boat  still  continued  to  lie 
broadside  onto  the  sea,  and  another  drag  was  proposed,  consisting  of  the  working  anchor  and  65  fathoms  of  4-inch 
rope;  the  stock  of  the  anchor  was  lashed  to  the  shank  to  prevent  its  holding  on  the  bottom  ;  then,  putting  a  long 
sling  on  it,  it  was  let  go,  but  not  without  a  perilous  struggle.  This  kept  her  head  up  a  little  more  to  the  sea, 
and  gave  a  little  more  assurance  of  safety.  One  of  the  oil-bags  washed  in-board,  so  a  heavy  iron  bolt  was  put  in 
it  to  keep  it  in  the  water;  this  being  a  success,  the  same  was  done  to  the  other  two  bags.  While  lying  there 
fighting  for  life  against  the  gale  the  oil-bags  were  filled  every  half  hour  with  fresh  oil,  and  it  was  expected  every 
moment  that  some  passing  vessel  would  run  the  boat  down,  for  one  conld  not  see  from  one  end  of  her  to  the  other ; 
but  trusting  in  Providence  to  pull  her  safely  through,  not  one  man  on  board  showed  the  least  sign  of  fear,  the 
feelings  of  each  one  known  only  to  himself.  When  it  got  dark  on  the  evening  of  the  12th  t  the  boat  looked  like  a 
wreck,  being  encased  in  ice ;  it  was  not  expected  that  she  would  live  until  daylight,  but  continued  replenishing 
the  oil-bags  every  half  hour  during  the  night,  the  members  of  the  crew  taking  turn  and  turn  about  to  go  on  deck 
to  haul  them  in,  taking  care,  however,  that  each  man  had  a  rope  around  him  as  a  precaution  against  being 
washed  overboard,  for  it  was  necessary  to  crawl  on  hands  and  knees  along  the  deck  to  reach  the  bags.  No  one 
on  board  slept  that  night.  At  11.45  p.  m.  a  heavy  sea  struck  the  boat  and  sent  her  over  on  her  side,  shifting 
everything  that  was  movable  down  below,  sending  all  flying  to  leeward;  the  water  rushed  down  the  forward 
hatch,  and  it  was  thought  all  were  lost,  when  all  of  a  sudden  the  little  boat  righted  again ;  but  had  another  sea 
struck  her  at  that  time  she  would  have  been  done  for. 

March  13. — Blowing  the  same,  with  squalls  that  came  down  shrieking  as  though  they  would  lift  the  boat  out  of  water. 
Going  forward  at  5  a.  m.  to  inspect  the  oil-bags,  discovered  that  l>oth  the  hawsers  were  gone  at  the  hawse-holes, 
but  did  not  make  this  known  to  the  crew  at  once  for  fear  of  making  them  uneasy.  At  noon,  however,  it  bright- 
ened up  to  the  westward,  and  at  4  p.  m.  it  moderated ;  but  the  foresail  could  not  be  set,  it  was  frozen  so  hard,  but 
the  storm  try-sail  was  bent  and  set  instead,  and  the  boat  came  up  more  head  to  the  sea.  At  5  p.  m.  drifted  on  top 
of  a  pilot-boat's  broken  mast  (No.  6),  and  this  was  a  very  discouraging  sight;  but  it  was  shoved  clear  with  a  boat 
hook.  At  6  p.  m.  wore  around  to  the  northward,  but  not  before  considering  the  risk  that  would  be  run  of  the  boat 
foundering  on  account  of  the  great  weight  of  ice;  but  she  got  around,  her  deck  being  swept,  however,  upon 
broaching  to,  and  one  man  was  nearly  washed  overboard,  but  escaped  with  a  bruised  arm.  At  7  p.  in.  commenced 
to  start  to  clear  the  ice  off  the  fore  stay-sail.  After  three  and  a  half  hours'  hard  work  the  sail  was  set  and  the 
boat  rendered  safer. 

March  14. — Clear  and  moderate  weather.  After  five  hours'  work  the  sails  and  spars  were  cleared  of  ice,  and  with  all 
sail  set  and  a  moderate  breeze  stood  to  the  westward.  Steered  NXW.  for  96  miles,  and  made  Jersey  Beach  20 
miles  to  the  southward  of  the  Highlands,  after  drifting  over  100  miles  in  forty-eight  hours.  By  nightfall,  although 
all  were  worn  out  by  fatigue,  resumed  station  on  the  bar,  arriving  there  at  4  a.  m.  on  the  15th. 

3farch  15. — At  5.30  a.  in.  spoke  pilot  boat  No.  16,  and  learned  that  several  pilot-boats  had  been  lost  and  several  more 
were  still  at  sea,  the  Marshall  being  the  first  one  that  had  arrived.  The  faces  and  hands  of  all  the  crew  were 
liadly  frost-bitten  ;  all  the  oil,  coal,  wood,  and  many  other  supplies  had  given  out;  for  no  matter  how  much  coal 
was  put  on  the  fire  but  little  heat  was  felt,  not  enough  to  dry  the  clothe*,  so  all  on  board  had  to  keep  on  their 
wet  clothes  throughout  the  storm,  which  was  far  from  comfortable.  The  boat  sustained  no  damage  beyond  the 
loss  of  the  anchor  and  hawsers,  and  all  were  glad  to  escape  so  easily.  The  barometer  gave  no  sign  of  the 
approaching  blizzard  until  about  fifteen  minutes  after  it  had  struck,  when  it  fell  .4  for  a  few  minutes,  when  it 
went  up  ajraiu  to  its  old  place,  .1  above  "change"  (29.50).  The  lowest  barometer  was  about  29.20. 

*  Ran  SSW.  15  miles  from  4  to  10.30  a.  m.  on  the  12th. 
\-  I  p.  in.  was  12  miles  ESE.  from  Sandy  Hook  Li^ht-ship. 


44 


THE  GEEAT  STOKM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
British  steam-ship  City  of  Chester,  Captain  Lewis. 


Date. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temperature. 

Remarks. 

Air. 

Water. 

Mar.   11. 

Noon  .... 

E.             6 

Latitude  40°  23'  N.,  longitude  70°  30'  W. 

2p.m  

E.            6 

30.01 

28 

37 

4  p.  m  

E.            6 

29.95 

38 

37 

6p.m  

E.             6 

29.80 

39 

39 

8  p.  m.  

E.            6 

29.78 

46 

44 

10  p.  m 

E.             6 

29.72 

48 

45 

Midnight  - 

E.            0 

29.70 

48 

45 

Strong  head-sea  throughout. 

Mar.    12. 

2  a.  in  

E.            6 

29.70 

40 

42 

4  a.  m  

E.            6 

29.46 

41 

40 

0  a.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.48 

47 

45 

8  a.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.41 

50 

50 

10  a.  m  ... 

ESE.       7 

29.43 

53 

C9 

Noon  .... 

ESE.       7 

29.48 

52 

58 

Latitudo  40°  22'  N.,  longitude  66°  8'  \V. 

2p.m.... 

ESE.       7 

29.49 

53 

GO 

C  p.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.50 

53 

58 

8  p.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.50 

54 

60 

10  p.  m  .  . 

ESE.       7 

29.53 

52 

60 

Kongh  head-sea  throughout. 

Mar.   13. 

2a.  m  

ESE.       6 

29.48 

52 

58 

4  a.  m  

ESE.       6 

29.38 

54 

62 

8  a.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.33 

53 

62 

10  a.  m...  . 

ZSE.       7 

29.25 

55 

60 

Noon  .  

ESE.       7 

29.24 

55 

CO 

Latitude  40°  21'  N.,  longitude  G0°  38'  W.(?) 

2p.m  

ESE.       7 

29.27 

55 

59 

Very  heavy  head-sea. 

4  p.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.30 

56 

62 

0  p.  m  

ESE.       7 

29.35 

58 

63 

8  p.  in  

ESE.        7 

29.41 

58 

63 

lOp.  m  

ESE.       6 

29.43 

38 

63 

Midnight.    ESE.       0       29.45 

1 

58 

63 

British  steam-ship  City  of  Lincoln,  Captain  Fry. 

March  14.— Gale  set  in  from  WSW.,  shifting  to  WNVV.,  highest  force  10.     8.48  p.  in. :  Latitude  31°  44'  N.,  longitude 

63°  38'  W. ;  barometer  29.51,  lowest. 
March  16. — Moderated. 

American  steam-ship  Colon,  Captain  Henderson. 

March  11. — Experienced  a  severe  gale,  commencing  at  SE.  and  shifting  suddenly  to  the  westward  and  NW.  Very 
heavy,  confused  sea,  heaviest  from  the  northward.  Violent  squalls  from  the  NNW.,  with  much  rain  and  hail,  and 
thick  weather;  ending  with  clear  weather  at  NNW.  At  11.03  p.  m.,  in  latitude  35°  20'  N.,  longitude  74°  \V., 
barometer  29.60,  lowest. 

March  12.— Gale  moderated. 


THE  GEEAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


45 


German  ship  Dora,  Captain  Meyer. 

The  report  from  this  vessel  was  received  too  late  to  be  used  in  the  preparation  of  this  mono- 
graph, but  the  following  abstract  will  be  fonnd  of  interest: 


Date. 


Hour. 


Wind. 


Karntn 
uter. 


Mar.     10     Midnight...  XX  W. 

Mar.     11     Forenoon...  XX W. 

Xoou XNW. 

Mar.     11'     Forenoon...  XXW. 

Xoon SW. 

8p.m SSW. 

Midnight...  SSW. 

Mar.     13     4a.m NW. 

6a.ro WSW. 


30.19 


30.19 


H 

12 

I 


Squally,  rainy  ;  high  sea  from  XX  W. 
Wind,  weather,  and  sea  showing  tendency  to  moder- 
ate. 
Latitude  38°  321  X.,  loagitu-k  04°  C7'  W.    Weather 

same. 

Barometer  falling  rapidly ;  wind  moderate,  and  haul- 
ing to  westward. 
29. 77     Overcast,   and  passing  showers :    wind   increasing. 

Latitude  39=  2.V  N.,  longitude  6»  39-  W. 
29.56 

29. 32     Steady  rain:  very  high  sea  from  SW. 
29.42  j  Weather  same;  sea  moderating. 

Moderating:  wind  veering  to  W.  and  NW;  barom- 
eter lining. 


Xoon 29.53 


Mar.     H     Xoon SW. 


29.49 


Latitude  n»3  56-  X.,  longitude  02^  49-  W.    Barometer 

steady  until  midnight. 
Barometer  falling  slowly;  light  swill   from   west- 

ward ;  overcast  and  cloudy.     Latitude  39°  56'  K., 

longitude  603  34'  W. 


Pilot-boat  Edward  E.  Barrett. 
(Report  communicated  by  Pilot  Charles  E.  Hughes.) 

March  10.— Noon:  Latitude  40°  39'  N.,  longitude  68°  10;  W. :  wind  XXE.  ;  fresh  breeze  and  very  clear;  barometer 
30.61.  8  p.  m.  :  Latitude  40°  50'  X.,  longitude  67°  W. :  \viud  NE.  by  N. ;  moderate  breeze  all  night ;  clear.  Mid- 
night :  Wind  light  from  EXE.  to  E. ;  barometer  30.41. 

March  11. — 4  a.  m.  Wind  EXE. ;  clear,  mild  weather;  barometer  30.36.  8  a.  m. :  Wind  E.,  freshening  np  toward 
noon.  Xoon:  Latitude  40°  52' N.,  longitude  67°  40' W. ;  barometer  30.36.  8p.m.:  Latitude  40°  50' N.,  longi- 
tude 67-  55'  W. ;  slightly  cloudy  overhead,  with  very  clear  hoiizon  ;  barometer  30.21 ;  wind  from  E.  to  E.  by  X., 
toward  midnight  hauling  E. 

March  12. — 4  a.  m. :  Wind  from  E.  to  E.  by  S. ;  cloudy,  and  breeze  freshening  ;  boat  running  W. ;  barometer  29.86. 
7  a.  m. :  Wind  E.  by  S.  ;  barometer  29.71,  and  falling  steadily ;  boat  running  under  doable-reefed  foresail  and 
head  of  fore  stay-sail.  8a.m.:  Wind  ESE. ;  commenced  raining;  barometer  29.61 ;  bent  main  try-sail  and  frap- 
pedjib;  running  W.  i  S. ;  continued  thick  and  rainy,  with  a  heavy  sea  getting  up  from  the  east  ward.  11. 30  a.  m. : 
Blowing  heavy,  with  very  heavy  gusts  of  wind,  and  rain  squalls;  barometer 29.31 ;  set  main  try-sail,  luffed  to, 
furled  foresail,  bent  fore  try-sail  and  set  it,  furling  main  try-sail;  squared  away  W.  by  N.  Noon:  Latitude 
40C  30'  X.,  longitude  70°  W.,  both  by  dead  reckoning ;  barometer 29.26.  1  p.  m. :  Wind  moderating ;  set  fore  stay- 
sail and  main  try-sail ;  heavy  cross-sea  from  S.  to  SW.  and  W.  ;  wind  hauling  SE.  and  then,  baffling,  to  SSE.,  dying 
out;  rain  squalls;  barometer  29. 1 1 ;  boat  headed  to  westward.  7p.m.:  Wind  hauled  toXW. ;  moderate  breeze, 
with  light  drizzling  rain.  7. 30  p.  in. :  Blowing  heavy  from  W..  with  snow;  furled  main  try-sail  and  fore  stay-sail ; 
wore  ship  head  to  southward,  heading  from  S.  to  SSW.,  lying  under  fore  try -sail ;  continued  to  blow  very  heavy, 
with  heavy  squalls,  until  midnight ;  wind  from  W.  to  W.  by  S.  and  WSW.,  with  thick  snow-storm,  and  freezing 
hard;  heavy  cross-sea  from  WSW.  and  E.  Midnight:  Sea  coming  from  W.  to  SW.,  easterly  sea  having  run 
down  ;  latitude  40°  30'  N.,  longitude  70°  35'  W. ;  barometer  29.21. 

March  13. — 4  a.  m. :  Wind  WSW.,  with  snow-squalls,  and  freezing;  heavy  sea  from  SW.  to  W. ;  barometer  29.21, 
oscillating  from  29.16  to  29.26.  7  a.  m. :  Wind  SW.  to  S\V.  by  W.,  moderating:  wore  ship  to  the  northward; 
barometer  29.31.  8  a.  m. :  Set  head  of  fore  stay-sail :  boat  head-reaching  and  heading  up  from  NW.  by  W.  to 
XW.  by  X.  Xoou :  Latitude  40:  23'  X.,  longitude  70°  15'  W. ;  wind  SW.,  moderating,  with  occasional  snow- 
squalls  ;  sea  going  down  fast ;  barometer  29.41.  4  p.  m. :  Moderating  to  a  light  breeze,  hauling  around  to  NE. 
by  way  of  S.  and  then  to  X. :  through  night  dying  out  to  a  calm;  snow. 

American  schooner  Ellen  J/.  Golder,  Captain  Johnson. 

March  11.— 6 p.  m. :  Barnegat,  WSW.  18  miles;  wind  SE.,  6.     Xoon :  Wind  ESE.,  7.     6  p.  m. :  WiudESE..  8  ;  barometer 

29.14 ;  weather  perfectly  dry,  sky  slightly  overcast.     8  p.  m. :  Half-way  between  Shiuue  cock  and  Fire  Island,  14 

miles  off  shore;  wind  backing  to  XE.,  8. 
March  12. — 4  a.  m. :  18  miles  off  shore  and  standing  to  the  SE.,  hove  to.    5  a.  m. :  Wind  XE..  9  ;  soon  commenced  to 

blow  heavy  from  XXE.  to  X.  10,  snowing  hard  ;  barometer 29. 12  and  falling.     10  a.  m.  :  Wind  XW..  12.    2  p.  m. : 

Barometer  vibrating  between  29.09  and  29.07. 

March  13. — Xoon :  Position  by  dead  reckoning,  latitude  39°  56'  N.,  longitude  73°  30'  W".  The  gale  moderated  just  after 
midnight,  when  the  barometer  was  about  29.10. 


46  THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

British  brig  Energy,  Captain  McBride. 

•March  12.— Latitude  25°  38'  N.,  longitude  68°  50'  VV. ;  wind  S.  to  SSW.,  7,  veering  about  2  p.  m.  to  NW.,  8,  continu- 
ing throughout  tho  day  from  NW.  to  NNE.,  and  back  to  NW.  by  W.  ;  barometer  at  noon  29.86. 
March  13.— Wind  NW.  to  W.,  8  to  10. 
March  14.— Wind  NW.,  10  to  12. 
March  15.— Latitude  28°  40'  N.,  longitude  G8°  5'  W. ;  moderated. 

British  steam-ship  Erl  King,  Captain  Priske. 

March  11.— Portion  at  noon,  latitude  34°  48'  N.,  longitude  47°  52'  W. ;  moderate  breeze  and  light  squalls,  with  sharp 
showers  of  rain ;  wind  veeriug  fro  m  SW.  to  W.  During  afternoon  wind  increased  to  a  fresh  gale  from  SW.,  with 
heavy  squalls,  rain,  and  very  heavy  sea;  vessel  pitching,  water  keeping  decks  continually  flooded.  At  midnight 
a  heavy  gale,  continuing  with  succession  of  squalls,  blowing  with  hurricane  force;  heavy  rain. 

March  12. — Noon  position,  latitude  33°  38'  N.,  longitude  51°  18'  W. ;  heavy  gale,  continuing  with  violent  squalls  of  rain 
and  terrific  head-sea,  decreasing  during  afternoon  to  a  strong  breeze  with  clear  weather  and  heavy  sea. 
NOTE. — The  hurricane  encountered  by  this  vessel  was  that  shown  to  the  eastward  of  Bermuda  on  the  Weather 

Charts  of  the  llth  and  12th.     No  report  of  the  weather  experienced  during  the  13th  and  14th,  when  she  must  have  felt 

the  effects  of  the  great  storm,  has  been  received  as  yet. 

Norwegian  steam  ship  Faedrelandet,  Captain  Brunn. 

March  V.. — Gale  set  in  from  SSW.  and  shifted  suddenly  by  way  of  W.  to  NNW.  in  a  heavy  rain  shower.     Position  at 

7  a.  m.,  latitude  28°  N.,  longitude  74°  3'  west. 

March  12.— At  5  a.  m.,  in  latitude  30°  20'  N.,  longitude  75°  W. ;  barometer,  29.80. 
March  13.— Wind  NW.  by  N.,  10. 
March  14.— 1  a.  m.:  In  latitude  33°  30'  N.,  longitude  75°  5'  W. ;  barometer  29.72.      Between  4  and  8  a.  m.  the  air  had  ;i 

very  ugly  appearance,  stormy  looking,  and  had  a  numerous  lot  of  small  waterspouts  and  masses  of  dripping  fog 

coming  from  the  water;  temperature  of  water  was  about  72  and  the  air  46. 

British  steam-ship  Furnessia,  Capt.  J.  Redderwick. 

March  12.— Gale  set  in  from  N. ;  shifted  from  N.  by  W.  to  NNW.  and  NW. 

March  13.— 7.45  a.  m. :  Latitude  39°  24'  N.,  longitude  71°  47'  W.  ;  barometer  29.26.  8.30  a.  m. ;  gale  abated;  highest 
force  11. 

British  ship  Glenburn,  Captain  Johansen. 
(At  New  York,  March  30,  from  Calcutta.) 

[NOTE. — The  log  being  kept  by  sea  time,  it  follows  that  afternoon  observations  are  for  the 
preceding  civil  date;  for  forenoon  observations  civil  date  is  the  same  as  that  given  in  the  log.] 

March  8. — P.M.  :  Moderate  W.  and  NW.  wind  and  light  showers  of  rain;  barometer  29.95.  4p.m.:  Moderate  W.  and 
NW.  wind  and  light  showers  of  rain ;  barometer  29.95.  8  p.  m. :  Calm  and  light  variable  air,  sky  overcast  and 
gloomy;  barometer  29.99.  Midnight:  Light  to  SE.  to  SW.  winds,  sky  overcast  and  gloomy;  barometer  29.99. 
4  a.  in. :  Fresh  SW.  winds  and  gloomy;  barometer 29.95.  8  a.  m.  :  Fresh  SW.  winds  and  heavy  rain;  barometer 
29.92.  Noon :  Latitude  31°  19'  N.,  longitude  58°  28'  W. ;  fresh  WSW.  winds  and  dull,  with  a  heavy  NW.  swell. 

March  9.— P.  M.  :  Fresh  WSW.  winds  and  dull;  barometer  29.85.  4  p.  in.  :  Fresh  WSW.  winds  and  dull ;  barometer 
29.85.  8  p.  m.  :  Light  NW.  winds  and  cloudy ;  barometer  29.86.  Midnight :  Moderate  NW.  winds  and  clear ; 
barometer  29.95.  4  a.m.:  Squally;  barometer  29.88.  8a.m.:  Fresh  winds  and  squally;  barometer  29.96. 
Noon  :  Latitude  31°  8'  N.,  longitude  59°  33'  W. ;  strong  NW.  wind  and  squally. 

March  10. — P.  M. :  Strong  NW.  wind  and  squally;  barometer  20.96.  4  p.  m. :  NW.  winds  and  fierce  squalls;  barometer 
29.97.  8  p.  in.:  Strong  WNW.  winds,  with  fierce  squalls  and  heavy  rain;  barometer  30.03.  Midnight:  Strong 
WN\V.  winds,  hard  squalls,  with  heavy  rain;  barometer  30.  4a.m.:  Barometer  29.98.  8a.m.:  Fresh  winds  and 
clear;  barometer  29.99.  Noon :  Latitude  31°  54'  N..  longitude  59°  18'  W. ;  strong  WNW.  winds  and  squally. 

March  11.— P.  M. :  Strong  WNW.  wind  and  squally ;  barometer  30.  4  p.  in. :  barometer  29.99.  8  p.  m. :  Fresh  gale. 
hard  squalls,  and  wind;  barometer  29.98.  Midnight:  Hard  gale,  with  fierce  squalls ;  barometer  29.94.  4  a.m.: 
barometer  29.93.  8  a.  m. :  NW.  gale  and  squally ;  barometer  29.93.  Noon :  Latitude  32°  49'  N.,  longitude  58°  58' 
W. ;  hard  NW.  gale  and  violent  squalls. 

Miu-i-h  12. — P.  M. :  Hard  gale  and  violent  squalls;  barometer  29.98.  4  p.  in. :  Fresh  NW.  gale  and  clear;  barometer 
•J9.9:>.  8  p.  m. :  Moderate  NW.  gale ;  barometer  30.01.  Midnight :  Moderate  to  light  wind  from  NNW.  to  WNW. 
and  overcast ;  barometer  30.02.  4  a.  m. :  Light  winds  and  clear ;  barometer  30,.  8  a.  m. :  Light  winds  and  clear ; 
barometer  30.02.  Noon :  Latitude  32°  20'  N.,  longitude  59°  30'  W. ;  light  southerly  winds. 


THE  GREAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  47 

March  13. — P.  M. :  Light  southerly  winds  and  clear ;  barometer  29.99.  4  p.  m. :  Freeh  winds  and  cloudy,  gloomy 
weather;  barometer  29.79.  8  p.  m. :  Fresh  wind,  cloudy,  gloomy  weather,  and  gusty ;  barometer  29.76.  9  p.  m. : 
Vivid  lightning  all  around  the  horizon,  with  frequent  squalls.  10  p.  m. :  Wind  shifted  to  the  westward,  with 
heavy  rain.  Midnight :  Fresh  westerly  gale,  with  hard  squalls;  barometer  29.63.  4  a.  m. :  Fresh  westerly  gale, 
with  hard  squalls;  barometer  29.65.  8  a.  m. :  Fresh  westerly  gale,  with  hard  squalls;  barometer  23.68.  Noon: 
Latitude  33 :  30 '  X.  longitude  60°  56'  W. ;  moderate  -westerly  wiuds  and  clear. 

Mari-h  14.— P.  M. :  Moderate  westerly  wiuds  and  clear;  barometer  29.69.  4  p.  m. :  Moderate  westerly  wiuds  aud 
clear;  barometer  29.69.  8  p.  m. :  W.  winds  and  cloudy;  barometer  29.69.  11  p.  m. :  Threatening  appearance 
and  vivid  lightning  to  the  NW.  Midnight:  Dull,  gloomy  weather,  with  vivid  lightning  and  fierce  squalls; 
barometer  29.68.  4a.m.:  Moderate  WSW.  winds  and  gloomy ;  barometer  29.69.  8a.m.:  SW.  wiuds;  barometer 
29.68.  Noon  :  Latitude  34  r,5  X.,  longitude  61°  40'  W. ;  SW.  winds  and  clear. 

March  15.— P.  M. :  Moderate  SW.  winds  and  clear;  barometer  29.65.  4  p.  m.  :  Light  wiuds  aud  gloomy;  barometer 
29.63.  8p.m.:  Vivid  lightning  all  around  the  horizon  ;  barometer  29.62.  Midnight:  Vivid  lightning  all  around 
the  horizon;  barometer  29.55.  4  a.  m. :  Vivid  lightning  all  around  the  horizon;  barometer  29.52.  8  a.  m. : 
Fierce  squalls  ;  barometer  29.49.  Noon  :  Latitude  36°  07'  X. ;  longitude  62°  28'  W. ;  strong  NW.  gale  and  broken 
clouds. 

March  16.— P.  M.  :  Strong  NW.  gale  and  broken  clouds;  barometer  29.47.  4  p.  m. :  Increasing  NNW.  gale  with 
fierce  squall;  barometer  29.49.  8p.m.:  Hard  gale  and  fierce  squalls ;  barometer  29.49.  Midnight:  Hard  NNW. 
gale  and  fierce  squalls  with  heavy  showers  of  hail  and  rain  and  heavy  SW.  sea  running;  barometer  29.54.  4  a. 
in.  :  Hard  NNW.  gale  and  fierce  squalls,  with  heavy  showers  of  hail  and  rain,  and  heavy  SW.  sea  running  ;  barom- 
eter 29.61.  8  a.  m. :  Hard  NNW.  gale  and  fierce  squalls,  with  heavy  showers  of  hail  and  rain,  and  heavy  SW.  sea 
running;  barometer  29.77.  Noon:  Latitude  35°  34' X. ;  longitude  63°  02' W. ;  strong  NW.  winds  and  equally. 

March  17. — P.  M. :  Strong  NW.  winds  and  squally ;  barometer  29.86.  4  p.  in. :  Strong  NW.  wimis  and  squally;  barom- 
eter 29.86.  8  p.  m; :  Fresh  WNW.  winds  and  cloudy,  with  lightning  to  the  north-north  westward ;  barometer 
29.89.(?)  Midnight:  Fresh  WXW.  winds  and  dull  gloomy  weather;  barometer  29.69.  4  a.  in.:  Fresb  WNW.  to 
WSW.  winds  and  overcast;  barometer  29.87.  8a.m.:  Fresh  SW.  winds  and  puffy  with  rain;  barometer  29.83. 
Noon  :  Latitude  35°  14'  N. ;  longitude  63C  36'  W. ;  strong  SW.  wind  and  squally  with  rain  and  heavy  .SW.  swell. 

March  H.— P.  M. :  Strong  SW.  winds  and  squally  with  rain  ;  barometer  29.75.  4  p.  m. :  Strong  SW.  wiuds  aud  squally 
\\ithrain;  barometer  29.73.  8p.m.:  Strong  SSW.  gale  and  black  sky,  with  vivid  chain  lightning  aud  tremen- 
dous loud  thunder,  with  heavy  down-pouring  of  hail  and  rain ;  barometer  29.73.  Midnight :  Strong  SSW.  gale  aud 
black  sky,  with  vivid  chain  lightning  and  tremendous  loud  thunder,  with  heavy  down-pouring  of  hail  and  rain  ; 
barometer  29.66.  4a.m.:  Strong  SSW.  gale  and  black  sky,  with  vivid  chain  lightning  and  tremendous  loud 
thnnder,  with  heavy  down-pouring  of  hail  and  rain,  and  fierce  squalls ;  barometer  29.55.  8  a.  m. :  Strong  increas- 
ing gale  ;  lightning  and  thnnder  still  keeping  up,  and  heavy  SSW.  sea;  winds  from  WNW.  to  SSW. ;  barometer 
•J.i.  I-.  Noou  :  Latitude  35°  39'  N. ;  longitude  64°  50'  W. ;  whole  northerly  gale,  with  fierce  squalls  and  hail  and 
rain. 

March  19. — P.  M. :  Whole  northerly  gale  and  fierce  squalls;  barometer  23.48.  4  p.  m. :  WNW.  gale  and  fierce 
squalls  aud  heavy  hail  and  rain  showers;  barometer  29.60.  8  p.  m. :  WNW.  gale  and  fierce  squalls  and  heavy 
liail  and  rain  showers  ;  barometer  29.81.  Midnight :  Hard  gale  with  heavy  squalls  and  hail  and  rain;  barometer 
29.85.  4  a.  m.  :  Fresh  gale  aud  squally  ;  barometer  29.93.  8  a.  m. :  Strong  NNW.  wiuds  aud  hard  squall,  with 
hail  and  rain.  Noon  :  Latitude  35°  07'  N.,  longitude  64°  50'  W.  Strong  winds  and  squally. 

March  -JO.— P.  M. :  Strong  NNW.  wind  and  puffy ;  barometer  30.08.  4  p.  m. :  Strong  NNW.  wind  and  puffy ;  barome- 
ter  30.09.  8  p.  m. :  Moderate  winds  and  cloudy;  barometer  30.16.  Midnight:  Moderate  winds  and  overcast; 
barometer  30.19.  4  a.  m.  :  Moderate  winds  and  overcast ;  barometer  30.18.  8  a.  m. :  Moderate  winds  and  over- 
cast ;  barometer  30.21.  Noon  :  Latitude  35°  6'  N.,  longitude  6tP  3'  W.  Light  NW.  airs  and  calm,  cloudy  weather. 

British  steam  ship  Glendexon,  Captain  Peterson. 

March  10.— 4  p.  m.:  In  latitude  38°  507  N.,  longitude  60°  37'  W.,  fresh  gale  from  NNW.,  8.  Barometer,  lowest  read- 
ing, 29.70.  At  10  p.  in.  sudden  shift  to  NE.,  and  blew  a  hurricane ;  continued  with  force  of  12  until  8  a.  m.,  March 
11,  with  steadily-rising  barometer,  when  it  commenced  to  moderate. 

March  11. — 8  p.  m.:  Fresh  breeze  from  NE.;  barometer  30.23. 

American  schooner  Herald,  Captain  Eeagan. 

(Northward  bound,  through  the  Straits  of  Florida.) 

March  11.— Off  Sagua,  Cuba;  wiud  WNW.  to  X.,  force  8. 

March  12.— Latitude  25°  5'  N.,  longitude  79°  37'  W. ;  same  gale,  varying  to  N.  by  E.,  force  9. 

March  13.  —Latitude  23°  14'  X.,  longitude  79°  15'  W. ;  same  gale,  X.  by  E.  to  X.,  backing  to  NNW.,  aud  moderating 

for  a  few  hours,  afterwards  increased  again  to  gale  from  WNW.,  force  9,  varying  to  N.  and  N.  bv  E. 
March  14.— Latitude  •->--  -J'l   N.,  longitude  78=  11'  W.;  wind  backed  to  WNW.,  force  10. 
March  1.".— Latitude  29°  24'  N.,  longitude  78°  38'  W.  ;  wind  WNW.,  force  8;  veered  to  ENE.  at  noon,  and  moderated. 

(No  barometer  record.) 


48 


THE  GREAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


German  bark  Johanna,  Captain  Meyer.        • 
(Northward  bound,  in  the  Gulf  Stream  below  Hatteras.) 


Date. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Kemarks. 

Mar.  11 

Mar.  12 

Mar.  13 
Mar.  14 

Mar.  15 

A.M  

Easterly 
breeze. 
S.             4 

S.              7 
S.              9 
S.            12 

Latitude  31°  17'  S.,  longitude  73°  51'  W.    Ship  running  north  ; 
wind  gradually  increasing. 
Had  shortened  sail  to  increasing  wind. 
Blowing  a  strong  gale  and  splitting  sails. 
Blowing  a  hurricane,  with  steady,  heavy  rain,  almost  a  deluge  ;  still 
rtmningship;  she  would  hardly  steer;  very  difficult  to  keep  her 
before  the  wind. 
Wind  shifted  suddenly  from  S.  to  NW.,  sea  running  very  high 
from  all  directions.    Position  about  latitude  33°  40'  N.,  longitude 
73°  40'  W.    Brought  ship  to  wind,  aud  lay  toon  port  tack. 
Wore  ship  and  lay  to  on  starboard  tack,  the  sea  breaking  high 
from  every  direction.    Impossible  to  run. 
Latitude  33°  28'  N.,  longitude  74°  W. 
Latitude  33°  17'  N.,  longitude  73°  40'  W. 
Latitude  33°  51'  N.,  longitude  73°  20'  W.     Wind  blowing  a  strong 
gale,  at  times  in  hurricane  force,  from  N.  to  NW.,  until  March  15. 
Men  working  the  pumps  continually,  but  water  gaining. 
Abandoned  the  vessel  with  7  feet  of  water  in  her  hold.     Lost  sight 
of  her  at  7  p.  m.,  when  she  seemed  to  have  settled  somewhat  and 
probably  went  down  before  morning. 

Noon  

4  p.  m  
6  p.  m  

"' 

8  p.  m  

10.30  p.  m  . 

6  a.  m  
Noon  

NW.      12 

2  p.  m  

NOTE. — The  captain  thinks  the  lowest  reading  of  his  barometer  was  about  29.213  (corrected).  The  captain  of 
the  German  bark  Weser,  who  rescued  the  crew,  states  that  the  position  where  she  was  abandoned  was  about  latitude 
32°  27'  N.,  longitude  73°  15'  W. 

American  barkentine  John  J.  Marsh,  Captain  Whittier. 
(Bound  south,  through  Windward  Channel.') 

March  11.— 7  a.  in.:  Latitude  21°  40'  N.,  longitude  72°  40'  W. ;  barometer  30.18;  wind  EXE.,  4;  clear  weather  and 

no  rain. 

March  12.— 7  a.  m.:  Latitude  20°  N.,  longitude  74°  1'  W. ;  barometer  30.10;  wind  SW.,  3;  clear. 
March  13.— 7  a.  in.:  Latitude  19°  45'  N.,  longitude  75°  10'  W.  :  barometer  30.10;  wind  NW.  by  N.,  3;  three  hours  of 

heavy  rain. 
March  14. — 7  a.  m.:    Latitude  19°  32' N.,  longitude  77.5  W. ,  barometer  30  11 ;  wind  EXE.,  3;   clear  weather  and  no 

more  rain. 

American  steam-ship;  Knickerbocker,  Captain  Kewblc. 
(Northward  bound;  off  Hatteras  at  about  noon,  March  12.) 


Tempc 

rature. 

Date. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 





Kcmarks. 

• 

Air. 

Water. 

Mar.     10 

Midnight  . 

SE.  by  E.       6 

30.14 

67 

77 

Cloudy  and  squally,    with    passing 

showeis. 

Mar.     11 

4  a.  m  ..... 

SE.                 7 

29.  95 

70 

76 

Ship  rolling  heuv.iy. 

8  a.  m  

SE.  by  S.       7 

30.00 

08 

75 

Noon  

SSE.               8 

29.97 

69 

70 

Latitude  32°  36'  N..  longitude  77    17' 

W.     Between   noon  aud  4  p.    m. 

wind  shifted  from  SSE.  to  S.  and 

SW.,  force  9. 

4  p.  m  

SW.                0 

2!).  81 

68 

72 

8  p.  m  

NW.               9 

29.  81 

68 

74 

Wind  shifted  in  a  heavy  rain  squall 

at  5  p.  m. 

10  p.  m  

NW.             10 

Midnight 

NW.             10 

29.71 

56 

75 

THE  GKEAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

American  steam-ship  Knickerbocker,  Captain  Kembie — Continued. 


49 


DBM. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temperature. 

Remarks. 

Air. 

Water. 

Mar.    12 

4  a.  m  

NNW.           9 

29.81  !         54 

75 

8  a.  m  

NNW.           9       29.84            44 

65     Sea  swell  still  heavy,  liut  decreasing 

slightly. 

Noon  

XX  W.             8       30.05             40 

49     Latitude  35°  28'  N.,  longitude  74°  53' 

W.     Weather  fine  and  clear,  sea 

still  heavy. 

4  p.  m  

XX  \V.            6       30.00 

40 

48     Sea  rough,  shipping  much  water. 

8  p  DI 

IfNW.            6 

30.04             39 

45 

Midnight  . 

NNW.            7 

30.06             30 

36     Weather  boisterous,  sea-swell  very 

heavy,  frequent  suow  squalls,  ship 

all  iced  up. 

Mar.    13 

4  a.  m  

NW.               8 

29.94 

30 

30 

g  a.  m  

XW.               8 

29.88            27 

34 

Noon 

NW.  by  W.  8 

29.  71            *> 

38        T.Qtif  ll^ft  37O  *>A'   V       Ittnn-itnHa  7RO  9A/ 

W.    Heavy  snow  squalls. 

4  p.  m  

NW.               8 

29.76 

28 

36 

8  p.  m  

X\V.               8 

29.76 

26 

34 

Midnight  . 

:cw.           s 

29.68 

25 

32     Passed  Scotland  Lightship  at  4.15 

a.  m.,  March  14. 

British  bark  Lady  Lisgar,  Captain  Thomas. 

March  12-18. — In  about  latitude  40°  30'  N.,  longitude  55°  W.,  encountered  a  heavy  easterly  gale;  ship  straining  and 
making  much  water;  lay  to  for  several  days  and  had  to  jettison  part  of  cargo  to  save  ship. 

American  Schooner  Lida  Fowler,  Captain  Higgins. 

During  the  llth,  light  airs  .from  E.  with  a  heavy  NE.  swell;  high  barometer;  noon  position,  latitude  36°  05'  N., 
longitude  69°  W.  Towards  evening,  falling  barometer,  with  increasing  southeasterly  breeze,  which  by  midnight 
became  a  gale.  About  noon  of  the  12th,  in  latitude  37°  30'  N.,  longitude  71°  W.,  the  wind,  which  was  blowing  with 
hurricane  force  from  SE.,  shifted  instantly  to  S\V.,  with  snow  and  hail,  and  at  2  p.  m.  to  W.,  with  lowest  barometer 
29.19.  Towards  midnight  it  moderated  a  little  and  the  barometer  rose,  and  during  the  forenoon  of  the  12th  the  wind 
died  out  somewhat,  with  occasional  snow  squalls,  and  then  increased  to  a  moderate  NW.  gale.  Position  at  noon, 
March  13,  latitude  38°  N.,  longitude  70°  10'  W.  During  the  forenoon  of  the  14th,  light  breeze  from  NNW.,  barometer 
29.79,  and  by  midnight  a  strong  gale  again  from  NNW.,  which  lasted  during  the  loth,  when  it  cleared  up,  with 
rising  glass  and  fine  weather. 

British  steam-ship  Lord  Clive,  Captain  Urquhart. 


Dato. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temperature. 

Remarks. 

Air. 

Water. 

Mar.     11 

Noon  

X.  by  W. 

30.35 

46 

52 

Latitude  39°  51'  N.,  longitude  66°  3V 

W. 

2p.m  

SW.  by  S.     2 

30.29 

44 

52 

4  p.  m.  

SW.  by  W.  3 

30.24 

42 

50 

Overcast. 

6  p.  in  

SE.  by  E.      3 

30.  24 

44 

49 

8  p.  m  

SE.  by  E.      4 

30.10 

44 

50 

Overcast. 

10  p.  m  

E.  by  S. 

30.10 

45 

50 

Midnight. 

E.  by  S.          6 

30.10 

47 

52 

Cloudy. 

Mar.    12 

2a.  m  

ESE.               6 

29.84 

49 

49 

Wind  increasing,  with  threatening 

appearance  to  SW. 

4  a.  m  

ESE.              8 

29.  74             50 

50 

Wind  still  increasing,  with  heavy 

rain. 

6a.m  ESE. 

29.54 

54 

54 

Weather  the  same. 

8  a.  m  

ESE.              7 

29.42 

54 

54 

Moderating  a  little,  with  heavy  rain. 

8.  30  a.  m 

Weather  clearing. 

9  a.  ui     . 

Wind  suddenly  shifted  to  S  W.,  blow- 

ing a  whole  gale. 

3540  ST- 


50 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
Rritish  steam-ship  Lord  Clive,  Captain  Urquhart — Continued. 


Date. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temperature. 

Remarks. 

Air. 

Water. 

Mar.    12 

9.  30  a.  m 

Wind  shifted  suddenly  to  NW.,f  ,iw- 

ing  a  complete  hurricane,  with   io- 

leiit  squalls  of  wind,  accompanied 

by  hail  and  sleet. 

10  a>  in  ... 

NW.             12 

29.18 

Lowest  temperature  of  air  50°.    As- 

sumed position,  latitude  39°  10/  N., 

longitude  71°  45'  W. 

Noon 

NW.             12 

29.24 

26 

A  complete  huri  HMIH    with  tremen- 

dous sea  and  terrific  squalls,  ac- 

companied by  heavy  snow.     Lati- 

tude 39°  14'  N.,  longitude  72°  10'  W. 

2  p.  m. 

NW.  by  W.  12 

29.34 

26 

\Veather  tlio  sniiic 

4  p.  m. 

NW.  by  W.  12 

29.44 

26 

"Weather  sumo. 

Q   i,     in 

NW. 

29.52 

28 

Si  in  in   moderating    Imt  still  heavv 

squalls  and  much  snow. 

S  P  Tn 

NW. 

29.69 

24 

\y  iud  and  weather  same. 

10  p.  in  .... 

WNW. 

29.59 

25 

Midnight  . 

29.54 

21 

Wind  and  weather  same. 

Mar.    13 

2  a.  m 

NW.              9 

29.54 

19 

28 

Strong  gale  with  heavy  squalls,  ac- 

companied by  sleet  and  f»now. 

4  ;i.  m  

NW.               9 

29.46 

17 

27 

Assumed  position,    latitude  38°  WX 

N.,  longitude  72°  W  W. 

t;  :i.  in  

NW.               9 

29.46 

18 

27 

8a.m  

NW.               9 

29.54 

18 

26 

10  a.  m  

NW.               9 

29.54 

18 

26 

* 

. 

Noon  

NW.               9 

29.55 

20 

26 

Latitude  38°  40'  N.,  longitude  73°  "W. 

3p.m  

NW.               9 

29.54 

18 

26 

5  p.  in  

NW.               9 

29.54 

18 

26 

7  p.  m  

NW.               9 

'29.64 

18 

24 

Midnight  . 

NW.               9 

29.64 

18 

24 

High  sea  and  much  snow. 

Mar.    14 

2  a.  m  ..... 

NW.               9 

29.62 

18 

6  a.  in  .  .  .  . 

NW.               9 

29.69 

20 

8  a.  m.  .... 

NW.              9 

29.74 

20 

Noon  ..... 

NW.              8 

29.79 

20 

Fresh  gale,  with  heavy  squalls*  sea 

moderate  ;  came  to  anchor  off  the 

breakwater. 

British  steam-ship  Lydian  Monarch,  Capt.  T.  C.  Haggett. 

March  11. — Gale  set  in  from  NE.,  shifting  to  E.,  force  11 ;  barometer  29.65. 

March  13.— Gale  set  in  from  SW.,  shifting  to  SE.,  S.,  and  SW.,  force  11.    5  p.  m. :  Latitude  40°  30'  N.,  longitude  65°  50 
W. ;  barometer  29. 05. 

British  steam-ship  Madura,  Captain  Doyle. 
(Liverpool  to  Portland,  Me.) 

March  11.— 7  a.  in.:  Latitude  42°  17'  N.,  longitude  51°  46'  W.;  wind  NE.,  5  ;  barometer  30.12;  stormy  and  rainy. 
March  12.— 7  a.  m.:  Latitude  41°  23'  N.,  longitude  56°  17'  W.;  wind  E.,4.;  barometer  30.01,;  stormy  and  rainy,  and 

wind  shifting,  with  violent  squalls. 

March  13.— 7  a.  in.:  Latitude  42°  N.,  longitude  CO0  20'  W. ;  wind  NW.,  10 ;  barometer  29.55 ;  moderating  a  little. 
March  14.— 7  a.  m.:  Latitude  42°  31'  N.,  longitude  65°  19'  W.;  wind  NE.,  6;  barometer  29.51;  changeable  and  foggy. 

American  schooner  Messenger,  Captain  Falser. 

March  11.— Position  at  noon,  latitude  36°  37'  N.,  longitude  74°  22'  W. ;  wind  SE.,  7. 

March  12.— Wind  backed  to  NW.,  8  to  9. 

March  13. — Wind  NW.,  11,  until  midnight,  then  moderating ;  lowest  recorded  barometer  28.91 ;  time  and  position  not 

stated. 

March  14.— In  latitude  37°  34'  N.,  longitude  72°  9'  W. ;  wind  N.  to  NNW.,  8  to  9. 
March  15.— In  latitude  37°  18'  N.,  longitude  73°  3G'  W. ;  \\iud  NNW.,  9,  then  moderating. 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  51 

American  schooner  yantasket,  Capt.  E.  A.  Richardson. 

Marck  11, 12,  before  and  during  which  barometer  only  fell  to  29.50  (correct).  But  for  the  first  twelve  hours  and  for 
nearly  twenty-four  hours  it  was  nearly  the  same,  vibrating  .13,  the  most  remarkable  vibrations  that  I  ever  saw  in 
a  barometer.  Its  lowest  reading,  29.50,  was  at  10  p.  m.  on  the  llth,  in  latitude  37°  X.,  longitude  74°  5W  W. 
Wind  (highest)  velocity  of  100  miles  per  honr. 

British  steam- ship  Nessmore,  Captain  Elliott. 

March  11.— Gale  set  ill  from  ENE. 

March  12.— Between  7  p.  m.  and  9  p.  m.  of  the  12th.  About  twelve  hours  before  shifting  into  NW,  the  wind  was  shifting 
suddenly  in  fierce  squalls,  attended  by  heavy  rain,  into  the  S.,  SE.,  SW.,  and  WSW.,  with  raging  cross-sea  from 
every  point  of  the  compass;  although  the  captain  put  the  ship's  head  from  one  point  to  another  all  around  to 
prevent  her  rolling  so  furiously,  yet  his  attempts  were  futile,  as  whichever  way  her  head  was  she  was  in  a  trough 
and  remained  so  for  some  time,  until  the  sea  abated  somewhat,  owing  to  a  heavy  downpour  of  rain  and  the  wind 
shifting  suddenly  to  NW. 

March  13.— 11  a.  m. :  Latitude  39°  48'  N.,  longitude  60°  45'  W. ;  barometer  (lowest)  29.10 ;  moderated  from  E. ;  high- 
est force,  11. 

March  16.— A  gale  set  in  from  SW.,  highest  force  10,  shifting  to  W.  and  NW.  3.55  p.  m. :  Latitude  42-  43'  X.,  longi- 
tude 43:  31'  W. ;  barometer  (lowest)  28.73.  Midnight :  Moderated. 

American  brig  Nettie,  Captain  Lowry. 

March  11.— Latitude  38°  W  N.,  longitude  73°  Iff  W. ;  wind  SE.,  force  7  to  8. 

March  12.  —Latitude  39°  22*  N. ,  longitude  73°  5'  W. ;  wind  backed  from  SE.  to  NE.,  force  9,  and  from  that  time  increased: 

to  hurricane,  backing  to  NW. 
March  13.— Latitude  38°  32'  N.,  longitude  71°  33'  W. ;  wind  NW.,  force  10,  and  moderating. 

British  bark  Nora  Wiggins,  Captain  Lawrence. 

(Report  communicated  by  Mr.  Collins,  first  mate.) 

At  noon  of  the  10th,  in  latitude  38°.  20'  N.,  longitude  GG:  W.,  the  barometer  reed  29.67,  falling  rapidly ;  moderate 
breeze  and  heavy  gronnd-swell  from  ENE.  (The  corrected  reading  of  this  vessel's  barometer  at  this  place  and  time  is 
considerably  too  low,  and,  unless  her  reported  position  is  considerably  out,  it  throws  doubt  upon  the  report  of  very  low 
barometer  the  evening  of  the  12th,  when  the  reading,  corrected  and  reduced  to  mean  .oea  level,  was  28.57,  the  lowest 
reported  by  any  vessel  that  encountered  the  hurricane  off  the  coast.  The  barometer  was  an  aneroid,  and  every  effort 
was  made  by  the  New  York  Branch  Hydrographic  Office  to  verify  the  observation,  the  instrument  having  been  com- 
pared with  standard  as  soon  as  the  vessel  reached  port.  On  April  2  the  barometer  was  ."7  high,  and  on  the  14th  .84  high, 
showing  such  a  decided  difference  that  the  reported  low  reading  of  the  12th  can  not  be  regarded  as  trustworthy, 
especially  in  view  of  the  rough  usage  she  met  with  in  the  hurricane.) 

On  the  10th  the  barometer  was  falling  rapidly,  with  a  moderate  breeze  and  heavy  ground-swell  from  ENE.  The 
next  day  about  the  same,  but  with  heavy,  dark  banks  of  clouds  to  the  north  and  south.  By  midnight  the  wind 
hauled  ESE.,  with  rain,  increasing  during  the  forenoon  of  the  12th  to  a  gale  with  heavy  rain  and  sea  ;  barometer 
very  unsteady.  About  6  p.  m.  the  wind  shifted  very  suddenly,  after  moderating  about  15  minutes,  to  t'ae  south,  grad- 
ually veering  toward  the  west,  and  at  8  p.  m.  was  blowing  a  hurricane  from  WSW.,  with  heavy  sea  and  blinding 
snow.  A  heavy  sea  struck  the  vessel  on  the  starboard  bow,  crushing  bulwarks,  breaking  thirteenstanchions,  throwing 
the  vessel  on  her  beam  ends,  and  flooding  the  forward  deck-houses.  During  the  remainder  of  the  night,  and  up  to  6 
a.  m.  of  the  13th,  the  barometer  was  very  low  and  unsteady,  fluctuating  from  28.57  to  28.67,  and  then  rising  slowly. 
Heavy  gale  from  W.  and  WNW.,  with  snow,  followed,  by  clearing  weather. 

British  brig  Olive  Branch,  Captain  Manthorn. 

March  10.— Latitude  37°  15'  N.,  longitude  68°  4'  W. ;  wind  XW.  to  X.,  9 ;  barometer  steady  at  30.24  throughout  the 

day. 

March  11.— Latitude  37-  53'  X.,  longitude  69°  7'  W.  ;  wind  X.  by  E.  to  XE.,  9  ;  barometer  steady  at  30.25. 
March  12.— Latitude  Z9°  43'  X.,  longitude  71°  7   W. ;  wind  SE.,  10;  barometer  29.25. 
March  13.— Latitude  39°  26'  N.,  longitude  70°  7'  W. :  wind  SE.,  10 ;  at  3  p.  m.  sudden  shift  to  W.,  12 ;  barometer  29.05. 

Frequent  squalls,  with  heavy  snow. 
March  14. — .Wind  W.,  10;  moderating  and  barometer  rising  ;  heavy  snow. 

British  bark  Fatayonia.  Captain  Hibbert. 

From  March  9,  in  latitude  37^  23'  N.,  longitude  66°  45'  W.,  to  March  14,  latitude  39°  36'  N.,  longitude  66=  56'  W., 
continued  succession  of  strong  gales,  commencing  at  NW.,  veering  on  the  llth  to  SE.,  and  on  the  12th  to  SW.  and 
W.  Gale  continued  to  15th,  in  latitude  39° 38'  X.,  longitude  6-°  39'  W.,  veering  to  XXE.,  9,  and  moderating.  Lowest 
barometer  March  13,  29.02,  iu  latitude  39°  34'  N.,  longitude  60°  39  W. 


52 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


Norwegian  bark  Rosenberg,  Captain  Johannessen. 

March  11. — Latitude  31°  59'  N.,  longitude  70°  14'  W.  Experienced  a  severe  electric  storm.  St.  Elmo's  fire  on  trucks 
and  yard-arms.  Sea  full  of  phosphorescence.  Wind  SSE.,  7  to  8,  backing  to  SE.,  9,  then  moderating  for  a  few  hours. 

March  12. — Wind  increasing  to  a  strong  gale  and  veering  to  NW.,  9  to  10  (this  probably  about  1  a.  m. ,  in  latitude  33°  30' 
N.,  longitude  69°  30'  W.). 

March  13.— Wind  NW.,  11,  throughout  the  day. 

March  14.— Wind  NW.  to  NNW.,  10  to  9. 

March  15. — Wind  NNW.,  8  to  10,  with  squalls  of  hurricane  force. 

March  16.— 8  a.  m. :  Moderated ;  latitude  34°  37'  N.,  longitude  68°  4'  W. 

British  steam-ship  Samana,  Captain  Bermpohl. 

March  11.— Noon:  Latitude  30°  1'  N.,  longitude  74°  W.;  wind  S.  by  Ev  6  to  8;  cloudy.  2  p.  m.:  Wind  SSE.,  8; 
threatening  weather;  wind  continued  same  in  direction,  increasing  in  force  to 9,  until  midnight;  wind  shifted 
suddenly  to  NW.  and  increased  in  force  to  10,  with  squally,  threatening  weather;  latitude  31°  30'  N.,  longitude 
7.3°  30'  W. 

March  12. — 2  a.  m. :  Wind  NW.  by  N.,  10  to  11,  continuing  the  same  in  force  and  direction  throughout  the  day.  Noon : 
Latitude  32°  3'  N.,  longitude  74°  17'  W.  Midnight :  Wind  backed  to  NW.  and  moderated  to  force  8. 

March  13. — 2  a.  m. :  Wind  NW.,  8  to  7;  threatening  weather.  8  a.  m. :  Wind  WNW.,  8,  continuing  same  in  force  unti 
noon.  Noon  :  Latitude  33°  1'  N.,  longitude  74°  39'  W. ;  wind  increased  in  force  to  11,  with  violent  squalls;  cloudy 
threatening  weather.  3p.m.:  wind  shifted  to  W.  by  N.,  11.  6p.  m. :  Wind  NW.,  11.  8  p.m.:  Wind  W.,  11  to  10; 
weather  threatening  and  squally. 

March  14.— 2  a.  m.:  Wind  W.,10;  barometer  29.38.  7  a.  m. :  Wind  NW.,  10;  barometer  29.48.  Noon:  Latitude 
33°  56'  N.,  longitude  74°  39'  W. ;  wind  NW.,  10;  barometer  29.54.  4  p.  in. :  Wind  NNW.,  10;  barometer  29.56; 
wind  same  until  midnight,  with  violent  squalls.  Midnight :  Barometer  29.78. 

March  15.— 2  a.  m. :  Wind  N.  by  W.,  10 ;  barometer  29.78.  4  a.  m. :  wind  N.  by  W.,  9;  barometer  29.86.  Noon:  Lat- 
itude 35°  26'  N.,  longitude  75°  10'  W. ;  moderate  gale  from  N.  by  W. 

American  bark  Samuel  B.  Hale,  Captain  Haven. 

March  11.— Latitude  at  noon,  32°  10'  N.,  longitude  6?°  40'  W. ;  wind  SE.,  7. 

March  12.— Wind  N.  by  W.  to  NW.  to  NE.,  8  to  9.    Assumed  position  at  noon,  latitude  33°  N.,  longitude  69°  W, 

March  13.— Wind  NE.,  9  to  11.     Assumed  position  at  noon,  latitude  33°  40*  N.,  longitude  69°  20'  W. 

March  14.— Wind  NE.,  9  to  11.    Assumed  position  at  noon,  latitude  34°  10'  N.,  longitude  69°  40'  W. 

March  15.— Wind  NW.,  P°    Assumed  position  at  noon,  latitude  34°  40'  N.,  longitude  69°  30'  W. 

March  16.— Position  at  noon,  latitude  34°  55'  N.,  longitude  68°  56'  W.     Wind  N.,  7  to  6,  and  moderated.    • 

Norwegian  bark  Saranak,  Captain  Morthensen. 

March  10.— 4  a.  m :  Latitude  36°  35'  N.,  longitude  71°  36'  W.  ;  wind  NNE.,  7 ;  barometer  30.19. 

March  13.— 4  p.  m :  Latitude  37°  16'  N.,  longitude  70°  26'  W. ;  wind  W.,  10 ;  ran  before  the  wind ;  barometer  29.44. 

March  15.— 8  a.  m:  Latitude  38°  25' N.,  longitude  65°  53' W.  ;  wiudSW.,  with  heavy  squalls  from  S. ;  barometer  29.60. 

March  16.— Noon  :  Latitude  38°  21'  N.,  longitude  62°  40'  W. ;  wind  NNW. ;  barometer  29.05. 

March  17.— Noon :  Latitude  38°  02'  N.,  longitude  60°  09'  W. ;  wind  NW.  ;  barometer  29.52. 

During  this  storm  the  wind  shifted  as  follows :  NNE.,  E.,  SE.,  S.,  W.,  SW.,  S.,  SW.,  W.,  NW.,  NNW.    The  weather 
continued  unsettled  and  variable  until  the  22d.    \Viud  shifting  from  S.,  SE.,  SW.,  and  N. ,  with  heavy  squalls  and  rain. 

British  steam-ship  Serapis,  Captain  Dobson. 


Date. 

Hour. 

AVjnd. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Sea. 

Remarks. 

Mar.     11 

4  a.  m  

NE.         5 

30.32 

Mod.  NE 

Clear. 

8  a.  m  

NE.         5 

30.22 

Mod  NE 

Clear. 

Noon  

ENE.      5 

.  30.15 

Mod.  NE     

Clear.    Latitude  38°  44'  N.,  longitude  71°  10"  AV. 

4  p.  m  

ENE.      6 

30.10 

Strong  ENE  .. 

Slightly  overcast.     About  6  p.  m.,  in  about  latitude  39° 

N.,  longitude  71°  W  AV.,  a  bank  of  heavy,  thick,  black, 

inky  clouds  to  SW". 

8p.m  

ENE.      6 

30.00 

Strong  ENE... 

Misty,  with  rain. 

Midnight  . 

EXE.      6 

29.90 

Strong  ENE  

Mist}',  with  rain. 

Mar.    12 

2  a.  m  

EXE.      6 

29.85 

Strong  ENE.... 

Histy,  with  rain. 

4  a.  m  

ENE.      6 

2!l.  75 

Strong  EXE... 

Misty,  with  rain. 

THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
British  steam-ship  Serapis,  Captnin  Dobson— Continued. 


53 


Bat*. 

Hour. 

"Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Sea. 

Remarks. 

Mar.     12 


5  a.  in  

X.             9 

XW       12 

29.80 
29.  TO 

Strong  EXE.... 
Heavy  XW  

Weather  game.    Between  5  and  6  a.  m.  the  wind  shifted 
suddenly  in  a  squall  from  EXE.  to  XW.  ;  there  was  no 
hauling  or  veering,  and  the  change  took  place  without 
any  interval  of  calm. 
Thick  snow    continued  blowing  a  hurricane,  with  thick 

XW       12 

29  60 

snow  and  heavy  XW.  sea,  until  noon  on  the  13th. 

XW       12 

29  50 

XW       12 

29  45 

XW       12 

29.35 

XW       12 

29  31 

Latitude  40°  X.,  longitude  73°  12'  W. 

XW       12 

29  ">9 

4  p.  m  

XW.      12 
XW       1° 

29.31 
29  35 



XW       12 

29,45 

UW       12 

29  50 

XW       12 

"9  39 

Mar     13 

XW       12 

29  35 

XW       1° 

99  30 

XW       12 

29  T> 

XW       11 

•^  28 

Moderating  ;  position  bv  dead  reckoning,  latitude  39°  39* 

XW         9 

•"9  28 

X.,  longitude  7«  35-  W. 

6P  m 

°9  32 

,P 

XW         9 

29  37 

After  this,  barometer  rose  rapidly;  gale  moderated. 

1 

P 

British  steam-ship  Stockholm  City,  Captain  Thompson. 

March  13.— Gale  set  in  from  E.  by  N.,  ending  same  day  with  wind  S. ;  highest  force  of  wind,  11.    At  10  p.  m.,  in  lati- 
tude 42°  45'  N.,  longitude  64°  40'  W. ;  barometer  29.23  (lowest). 

British  steam-ship  St.  Ronans,  Capt.  H.  Campbell. 

March  12.— Gale  set  in  from  NE.    1  a.  m. :  Latitude  41°  ^  N.,  longitude  51°  12'  W. ;  wind  XXE.,  force  9;  barometer 

29.50. 

March  13.— Wind  SE.,  tlience  to  XW.,  force  9.    1 1  a.  m.  :  Latitude  41°  3'  X.,  longitude  58°  59'  W. ;  barometer  29.3a 
March  14.— Wind  X.  to  WXW. ;  latitude  40°  53'  N.,  longitude  60°  26'  W. ;   barometer  29.50.     Moderated. 

British  steam-ship  Switzerland,  Captain  Uebericcg. 

March  12.— Xoon  :  Gale  set  in  from  SE.,  shifting  to  WSW.;  highest  force  8.    6.45  p.m. :  Latitude  39°  X.,  longitude 

65°  W. ;  barometer  29. 50. 
March  13. — Xoon:  Gale  abated. 

American  baric  Wakefield,  Captain  Croicell. 
(Voyage  from  Pernambuco  to  Xew  York.) 

March  11.— Xoon  position,  latitude  22°  55' X.,  longitude  63°  W. ;    cloudy  weather ;  moderate  breezes;   long,  rolling 

swell  from  XW.     All  sail  set. 
March  12.— Xoon  position,  latitude  24     12'  X.,  longitude  64°  50'  W.     From  4  p.  m.  to  midnight :  Wind  hanling  to  SE. 

and  then  to  southward;    continues  clear  and  pleasant;  wind  freshening ;  "sea  smooth;  all  sail  set;  barometer 

30.02  at  midnight. 
March  13.— From  midnight  to  8  a.  m. :  Clear  and  pleasant  :  all  sail  set :  sea  smooth,  but  wind  increasing  rapidly  from 

SW. ;  barometer  29.92  at  8  a.  m.     Xoon  position,  latitude  25-'  :i:l  X.,  longitude  (W  :«'  W.     From  8  a.  m.  to  4  p.  m. : 

Cloudy,  with  a  passing  shower,  wind  and  sea  rapidly  inereasiii^r :  Took  in  light  sails  ;  barometer  29.92  at  4  p.  in. 

From  4  p.m.  to  midnight:    Wind  XW.  and  incroasin;: :   took  in  top-gallant  sails;    at  7  p.m.  took  in  mainsail, 

spanker,  and  flying  jib ;  at  8  p.  m.  wind  suddenly  changed  to  XX  W.  in  heavy  squall  of  wind  and  rain ;  barometer 

29.92  at  midnight. 


54 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 


March  14. — From  midnight  to  8  a.  m. :  Cloudy,  and  strong  breezes  from  W.  by  N. ;  sea  rough  and  heavy  swells ;  at  4 
a.  m.  set  maintop-gallant  sail  and  mainsail;  at  8  a.  m.  tacked  ship  to  SW. ;  barometer  29.87.  Noon  position,  lati- 
tude 27°  32'  N.,  longitude  65°  54'  W.  From  8  a.  m.  to  4  p.  m. :  At  noon  tacked  ship  to  northward;  w'nd  backing 
to  westward;  heavy  swell  from  westward;  barometer  29.87  at  4  p.m.  From  4  p.  m.  to  midnight:  Wind  increas- 
ing ;  at  8  p.  m.  took  in  mainsail ;  weather  windy  looking. 

March  15. — From  midnight  until  8  a.m.:  Cloudy  and  squally  ;  wind  \V.  and  sea  increasing;  reduced  ship  down  to 
reefed  top-sails,  reefed  foresail,  mizzen-stay  sail,  aud  foretop-mast  stay-sail ;  at  8  a.  m.  wore  ship  around  on  starboard 
tack ;  barometer  29.77.  Noon  position,  latitude  27°  18'  N.,  longitude  65°  50'  W.  From  8  a.  m.  to  4  p.  m. :  Cloudy, 
with  heavy  squalls  making  in  NW.  ;  took  in  upper  foresail  and  furled  it ;  sea  heavy,  broken,  and  irregular.  From 
4  p.  m.  until  midnight:  Wind  WNW. ;  continuous  heavy  squalls  of  wind  and  rain;  sea  very  heavy  and  irregular; 
ship  laboring  and  rolling  badly ;  barometer  29.72  at  midnight. 

March  16. — From  midnight  until  8  a.  m. :  Blowing  furiously  from  NW.,  with  squalls  and  heavy  rain ;  sea  heavy,  with 
heavy  combers ;  ship  laboring  badly  and  shipping  large  quantities  of  water;  barometer  29.82  at  8  a.m.  Noon 
position,  latitude  26°  34'  N.,  longitude  66°  40'  W.  From  8  a.  m.  to  4  p.  m. :  Continues  same,  but  sea  not  so  bad  ; 
wind  NNW. ;  set  upper  foretop-sail,  reefed.  From  4  p.  m.  to  midnight:  Gradually  moderating  and  the  sea  going 
down ;  took  reef  out  of  upper  main-topsail  and  foresail ;  barometer  29.92  at  midnight. 

German  steam  ship  Wandrahm,  Captain  Relise. 

March  13.— Gale  set  in  from  E.  by  S.,  shifting  to  E.  by  N. ;  highest  force  10.  11  a.  m. :  Latitude  44°  29'  N.,  longitude 
63°  20'  W. ;  barometer  29.67  (correct).  Captain  Rehse  reports  further  as  follows :  On  the  13th,  4  p.  m.,  must  have 
been  close  to  Sambro,  but  too  thick  to  see  anything ;  kept  the  ship  outside  till  next  afternoon.  It  blew  very 
heavy  that  night,  with  thick  rain,  hail,  and  snow,  and  very  heavy  sea.  I  received  no  damage,  and  got  in  all 
right  on  the  14th,  afternoon. 

British  ship  Warrior,  Captain  Kitchen. 

From  March  12,  in  latitude  42°  36'  N.,  longitude  69°  40'  W.,  to  March  17,  in  latitude  42°  52'  N.,  longitude  69°  4'  W.,  a 
succession  of  strong  gales,  commencing  at  ESE.,  veering  to  E.  by  N.  to  N.,  and  on  the  16th  to  WNW.  Lowest  recorded 
barometer  reading  was  29.37,  on  March  13,  in  latitude  42°  48'  N.,  longitude  69°  48'  W. 

German  steam-ship  Werra,  Captain  Bussius. 
March,  12.— Wind  SE.,  force  6. 
March,  13.— 11  a.  m. :  Latitude  40°  20'  N.,  longitude  69^  25'  W. ;  bar.  29.25;  gale  shifted  from  SE.  to  S.,  SW.,  and  W. 

Belgian  steam-ship  Westernland,  Captain  Randle. 

March,  12.— Latitude  40°  44'  N.,  longitude  59°  1';   wind,  ESE.,  10.     At  5.55  p.  m.  barometer  read  29.35  (lowest); 

shifts  of  wind,  E.  by  S.,  SE.,  S. 
March  13. — Wind  S.  ;  gale  moderated. 

Norwegian  baric  Wilhelm  Birkedal,  Captain  Stangebye. 


Date. 

Hour. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Remarks. 

Mar.    11 

Mar.     12 
Mar.    13 

Noon  
Sp.  m  

11.  30  p.  m  . 

SE  

SE.         10 

28.79 

Wind  increasing,  with  fallingbarometerandrain.     Latitude  34°  11' 
N  .,  longitude  74°  23'  W. 
Vessel  under  two  lower  top-sails  only.    From  8  until  11.30  p.  m. 
wind  and  weather  the  same,   heavy  head-sea  making  ;  indica- 
tions of  a  shift  of  wind. 
Wind  shifted  suddenly  to  northwest  with  heavy  squalls  of  rain 
aud  great  change  in  temperature.     Wind  not  so  strong  as  it 
shifted,  but  increasing  iu  force  towards  the  morning,  blowing 
very  hard  from    NW.  and  WNW.,  and    continuing    the  same 
throughout  the  day,  March  12th. 
Latitude  35°  57'  N.,  longitude  73°  22'  W.     barometer  M.64,  lowest 
(time  not  given.) 
Wind  more  moderate  hut  still  strong  aud  shifting  a  little  more  to 
the  northward.    Heavy  snow  squalls  both  on  12th  and  13th.    Sea 
moderating. 

This  vessel's  barometer  was  mercurial,  kept  in  cabin  16  feet  above  sea-level.  It  was  compared  with  standard 
at  the  New  York  Branch  Hydrographic  Office,  March  23,  when  its  error  was  .023  too  high,  aud  this  error  has  been 
used  in  correcting  the  observed  readings.  The  corrected  readings,  however,  are  very  low,  and  do  not  agree  with 
other  data.  From  the  vessel's  position  on  the  llth,  it  is  evident,  by  comparison  of  her  barometer  readings  with  those 
of  other  vessels  in  the  vicinity,  that  there  is  some  error  not  accounted  for,  and  this  throws  doubt  upon  the  reported 
low  reading  on  the  12th.  On  April  20  her  barometer  read  .101  high  of  standard. 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST.  55 

Pilot-boat  William  H.  Starbucl;  of  l?ew  York. 

(Report  communicated  by  Pilot  Heath.) 
[XoTK.— Barometer  aneroid,  said  to  be  correct,  bnl  no  comparison  obtained  with  standard.] 

March  11. — Noon:  The  William  H.  Starbitck  was  10  miles  S.  from  Barnegat,  about  8  miles  off  shore;  -wind  ENE.,  fresh 
breeze,  hazy,  with  light  rain ;  barometer  30.  4  p.  m. :  Wind  hauled  to  ESE.,  blowing  fresh  breeze;  light  rain  and 
hazy ;  stood  off  shore,  heading  ENE.  6  p.  m. :  Was  about  18  miles  ESE.  from  Barnegat,  wind  ESE.,  having 
increased  in  force  to  strong  breeze ;  barometer  30 ;  hove  to,  being  far  enough  off  shore. 

March  V2. — 1  a.  m  :  Wind  N.,  blowing  a  gale  and  squalls;  ugly,  squally  weather,  accompanied  by  hail  and  rain  ;  glass 
had  fallen  but  a  very  little ;  headed  in  W.  by  S.  until  soundings  were  obtained  in  10  fathoms,  about  8  miles  from 
shore.  4  a.  m. :  Wind  N.,  blowing  heavy  squall;  wore  around  and  hove  to  on  port  tack.  6  a.  m. :  Wind  NX\V., 
blowing  heavy  gale,  with  terrific  squall;  snowing  hard,  and  could  see  nothing;  heavy  sea,  spray  flying,  decks 
deluged  with  water;  got  out  drags  and  put  out  oil-bags  on  weather-side,  five  bags  strong  along  the  side.  Sea 
would  strike  drags  or  sea  anchor,  and  then  come  alongside  perfectly  harmless  on  account  of  meeting  drag  and  oil 
slick.  4  p.  m. :  About  this  time  had  worst  of  storm  ;  wind  blowing  a  perfect  hurricane  from  WNW. ;  the  only 
things  that  kept  the  vessel  up  were  the  sea  anchor  and  oil-bags ;  at  this  time  the  barometer  was  29.70,  jumping 
at  least  .1  each  way ;  had  drifted  so  that  we  judged  our  position  to  be  about  18  or  20  miles  east  from  Barnegat. 
About  11  p.  m.,  while  still  blowing  a  gale  from  NNW.,  collided  with  the  steamship  Japanese.  After  this  engaged 
in  cleariug  wreck.  Wind  remained  NNW.,  blowing  a  gale,  moderating  at  ti  mes,  till  the  14th ;  snowing  steadily 
all  this  time. 

March  13. — Miduight:  Glass  commenced  to  rise. 

March  15. — Got  first  observations  since  storm  set  in,  and  found  vessel  to  be  in  latitude  39°  31'  N.,  longitude  73°  W. 


GREENWICH  NOON  OBSERVATIONS. 


The  following  list  gives  a  brief  synopsis  of  marine  data  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  accom- 
panying daily  charts.  Each  wind  arrow  corresponds  to  an  observation  recorded  in  these  columns, 
and  can  be  referred  to,  in  any  case,  by  using  as  co-ordinates  the  date  of  the  chart  and  the  latitude 
and  longitude  of  the  center  of  the  arrow.  Laud  data  are  from  the  daily  weather  maps  published 
by  the  U.  S.  Signal  Service.  In  a  few  cases  data  have  been  obtained  by  interpolation  from  jour- 
nals, storm  reports,  etc.,  in  order  to  cover  areas  from  which  no  other  data  are  as  yet  at  hand,  but 
in  every  such  case  it  is  so  stated  in  a  foot  note.  Barometer  readings  are  in  all  cases  corrected  by 
last  comparison  with  standards  at  the  various  branch  hydrographic  offices  (referred  to  the  Kew 
standard),  and  reduced  to  32°  F.  and  mean  sea  level.  Readings  of  a  mercurial  barometer  are  fol- 
lowed by  the  letter  m;  aneroid,  a. 

In  preparing  the  four  daily  charts  of  the  area  under  consideration,  material  assistance  has  been 
obtained  from  observations  of  vessels  beyond  the  actual  limits  of  the  area  charted.  It  is  only 
practicable  at  the  present  time,  however,  to  publish  the  observations  taken  on  board  vessels  within 
the  limits  of  the  charts  (lat.  25°  to  50°  N.,  long.  50°  to  85°  W.),  and  these  only  in  brief. 

The  symbols  used  in  the  various  columns  are  explained  as  follows : 


Wind. 

Weather.* 

Sea. 

Beaufort's  scale. 

Miles 
per  hour. 
0   Calm                   ,                    ' 

Meters 
per  second, 
0.9 
2.2 
4.5 
6.8 
8.9 
12.  0 
15.6 
18.7 
22.3 
2fi.  7 
31.2 
35.7 
40.2 

b.  Clear  blue  sky. 
c.  Clondy  weather, 
rf.  Drizzling,  or  light  rain. 
/.  Fog,  or  foggy  weather. 
g.  Gloomy,  or  dark,  stormy-looking  weather. 
h.  Hall. 
I.  Lightning. 
in.  Misty  weather, 
o.  Overcast. 
p.  Passing  showers  of  rain. 
q.  Squally  weather. 
r.  Rainy  weather,  or  continuous  rain. 
«.  Snow,  snowy  weather,  or  snow  falling. 
t.  Thunder. 
«.  Ugly  appearances,  or  threatening  weather. 
v.  Variable  weather. 
w.  "Wet,  or  heavy  dew. 
z.  Hazy. 

B.  Broken  or  irregular  sea. 
O.  Chopping,  short,  or  cross  sea. 
G.  Ground  swell. 
H.  Heavy  sea. 
//.  Long  rolling  sea. 

1.  Light  air 

5 

10 

15 

M.  Moderate  sea  or  swell. 
R.  Rough  sea. 
S.  Smooth  sea. 
T.  Tide-rips. 

4.  Moderate  breeze 

20 

27 

35 

7.  Moderate  gale  . 

42 
50 

60 

10.  Whole  gale 

70 

11.  Storm  

80 

90 

*  To  indicate  greater  intensity  the  letter  is  underlined  thus :  r,  heavy  rain ;  r,  very  heavy  rain,  etc. 


56 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
March  11,  1888. 


57 


Teasel. 

Master. 

Position. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temp, 
of  air 
Fahr.l. 

Weather 
symbols. 

Remarks. 

LatN. 

Long.  W. 

Direction, 
true.    Force, 
Beaufort. 

A  D  Bache    

Lt  Moser,  T. 

S.N. 

0      ' 

25  08 
29  23 

41  06 
37  44 
3947 
41  55 
25  26 

37  41 
40  38 

40  23 
43  12 
33  10 
42  40 

31  05 

37  50 
40  27 
34  30 
38  06 
38  32 

40  39 
40  50 

41  24 

40  20 

28  00 
40  14 
32  40 
4202 

Vineya 
25  05 
38  25 
31  47 

41  14 
40  40 
40  35 

39  K 

38  45 
33  03 

28  54 
41  17 
31  57 

o    ' 
81  11 

74  09 

68  06 
73  42 
58  10 
54  58 
68  00 

65  30 
70  48 

69  52 
66  16 
67  40 
67  00 

69  00 

74  "• 
74  00 
76  13 
7403 
63  42 

72  05 
67  20 

54  30 
69  25 

74  03 
70  55 
59  00 
58  49 

rd  Haven. 
80  07 
74  00 
77  42 

65  05 
73  10 
67  52 
66  00 

61  11 

72  00 

55  07 
55  40 
79  45 

SE. 
E. 

XE. 

SE. 
EXE. 
EXE. 
EXE. 

X. 

E'ly. 

E. 
EXE. 
NE. 
E5E. 

EXE. 

SE. 
E.  by  X. 
SE. 
ESE. 
XE.  by  X. 

E. 
E.  by  X. 

EXE. 

E' 
E. 

X. 
NW.by  W. 
XE. 

ESE. 
SE. 
ESE. 
SE. 

XE. 
E. 

XK. 
XE. 

XXE. 
E. 

\VXW. 
XE. 

S. 

6 

4 

j 
6 
9 
9 
4 

1 

2 

4 
3 
2 
5 

3 

6 
8 

6 

7 

5 

4 

9 

3 

4 
10 
8 
9 

3 
5 

7 

7 

4 
2 
7 
5 

6 

2 

6 
11 

• 

30.  04  a. 
30.  10  m. 

30.  34  m. 
30.  19  a. 
29.  90  m. 
29.91  m. 
29.  91  a. 

29.99m. 
30.  40  a. 

30.  39  a. 
30.36m. 
30.  17  m. 
30.01m. 

30.  22  a. 

30.  14  a. 
30.  45  a. 
30.  07  a. 
30.  25  a. 
30.  20  m. 

30.38m. 
30.  36  a. 

29.  91  a. 
30.  33  m. 

30.  20  a. 
29.  43  a. 
29.93m. 
30.  11  m. 

30.  26  a. 
30.  17  a. 
30.  16  a. 
29.85m. 

30.  19  m. 
30.  23  a. 
30.  37  m. 
30.  38  m. 

29.  95  m. 
30.  34  a. 

30.  09  a. 
29.  98  m. 
29.  93  a. 

o 
71 

64 

35 
44 

51 
48 
67 

51 
54 

34 
40 

0.  C.  '[. 

o. 

Squally  and  rainy.    Cross  sea  from 
SSE. 
Clouds  SE.  and  E.    Sea  L.  from  X. 
Fine  weather. 
Mod.  E'ly  sea  ;  clouds  from  W. 
Mod.  SE.  sea. 
Very  high  cross  sea  from  EXE. 
Clouds  EXE.    Sea  H.  from  EXE. 
Mod.  EXE.  wind  and  sea.    Cloudy 
at  times. 
Wind  veered  to  ESE.  at  mid.  L.  H. 
sea  from  XE. 
Clouds  and  S.  sea  from  E.    Winds 
variable. 
Clouds  and  L.  H.  sea  from  E. 
Clouds  S.    Fine  weather. 
Somewhat  cloudy,  long  XE.  swell. 
R.   SE.  sea.     Fresh    breezes,  snow 
and  hail  past  24  hrs. 
Long  mod.  sea  from  XXE.    Calm 
at  midnight. 
Much  rain.    Mod.  SE.  sea. 
Clouds  EXE.    Sea  H.  from  E.  by  X. 
Mod.  SE.  sea. 
Heavy  clouds  and  mod.  sea  from  SE. 
Heavy   storm  ;    high,  wild  sea  past 
day. 
Clouds  and  mod.  sea  from  E. 
Clear,  fine  weather.    Light  to  mod. 
XE.  and  EXE.  winds. 
Clouds  and  H.  sea  from  EXE. 
Fair  weather;    Lt.  S'ly  and  E'ly 
winds  past  24  hrs. 
Clouds  E.  and  SSE.    Sea  L.  from 
XXE. 
Fine  and  clear  ;   wind  falling  dur- 
ing past  24  hrs. 
Mod.  to  strong  gale  with   squalls 
during  past  24  hrs. 
Strong  gale  thro'out    Wind  backed 
two  points. 
Threatening  sky. 
Clouds  and  broken  sea  from  SE. 
Clonds  SW.    Sea  L.  from  EXE. 
All  elements  increasing.    Sea  B.  H. 
R  from  SE.  and  SSW. 
Clouds  EXE.     Sea  H.  from  NE. 
Overcast  after  4  a.  m.    Sea  smooth. 
Clouds  XE.    Sea  H.  from  EXE. 
Strong  XE.  gale,  noon  to  4  a.  m., 
then  mod.  and  fine  weather. 
Clouds  and  L.  sea  from  XE. 
Clonds   SE.;    sea    L.    from    XXE. 
Weather  mod.  past  24  hrs. 
Clonds  XW.    Sea  C.  from  SSW. 
Clouds  and  sea  from  X. 
At  4  D.  m  .  stron  s  breeze  from  XX  W. 

Ailsa                            --- 

Alaska  

Murray  
Clinksel  

0.  C. 

q.r. 
o.  a. 

g- 

c. 

O.  C. 

b.c. 
b.c. 

Anna  
Baltimore  

Menkens  
Trenery  
Hubbard  

Brady  

Tvnriloll 

Brooklyn  City                    Fitt    

Bulgarian  Parry  

Carthaginian  

MacXichol.  -  -  . 
Franck 

37 

o.p. 

O.  D. 

C.  U. 
0.  C. 
0.  C. 

c. 
o.  c. 

b.c. 

Catherine  

43 
37 
64 
46 
46 

38 

City  of  Cheater 

City  of  San  Antonio  Wilder  
Colon  Henderson  ,  . 

Edward  E.  Barrett*  

Egypt  
Elbe  

Hughes  

Sunnier  
Meyer  

Brunn  

49 
37 

70 
31 

0.  C. 

b.c. 

0.  C. 

g.  q.  s.  o. 

q- 

c.  n. 

z. 
b.c. 

0.  C. 

c.  r.  q. 

c. 
b.c. 

C.  8. 

c.  m. 

c.  q.  r. 
o.  c. 

q- 

fi.L 

0.  C. 

Hedderwick  .  . 
,  Johansen  
For  

43 

("!•£•• 

77 
50 
70 

35 
10 
37 
40 

50 
62 

66 
55 
66 

Kensett  Smith  
Knickerbocker                   Kemble    .  . 

deKersabiec.. 
T~rquhart  

Lord  Clive                

Lorenzo  D.  Baker  

Wiley 

Burgess  
Haggett  
Stevens... 

Manhattan... 

3546  ST- 


*  Data  obtained  by  interpolation  from  journal  or  storm  report. 


58 


THE  GREAT  STOEM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
March  11,  1888— Continued. 


Vessel. 

Master. 

Position. 

Wind. 

liarom- 
oter. 

Temp, 
of  air 
(Fahr.). 

Weather 
by 
symbols. 

Remarks. 

LatN. 

Long.  W. 

Direction, 
true.    Force, 
Beaufort. 

Nantasket              

Richardson  ... 
Elliott    

O       ' 

35  30 
38  52 

08  09 
34  36 

32  22 

39  13 
42  12 

27  05 

28  40 
38  20 

43  22 
34  15 
39  40 

41  59 
28  00 

39  26 

43  26 
43  12 
40  19 
40  00 

0  / 

74  00 
66  02 

74  26 
74  30 

64  50 

59  11 
50  05 

80  00 

73  15 
70  40 

54  39 
76  35 
57  07 

58  53 
79  10 

72  54 

52  00 
53  55 

70  11 
74  00 

SE. 
NNE. 

E. 

SE. 

N. 

ENE. 
ENE. 

SE.byS. 

ESE. 
NE. 

NE.byN. 
SE. 

NNE. 

NE. 
SE. 

ESE. 

NE. 

NE. 
SE.byS. 
ESE. 

. 
5 

5 

6 
4 

7 

10 

8 

6 

2 
5 

9 
6 

7 

6 

7 

3 

7 
5 
5 
3 

30.  16  a. 
30.  07  m. 

30.  25  a. 
30.  12  a. 

30.  01  a. 

29.  91  a, 
30.  04  a. 

30.  04  a. 

30.  33  a. 

30.  18  ii. 

30.  12  a. 
30.  22  a. 
29.  94  a. 

30.  17  a. 
30.  04  a. 

29.  66  a. 

30.  17  a. 
30.  22  in. 
30.  25  m. 
30.  22  a. 

o 

47 

42 
63 

58 

39 
65 

e.g. 
c. 

e.g. 
c. 

b.c. 

o.  q.  r. 
b.c. 

o.  c.  r. 
o.  c. 

Wind  veered    NE.  to  SE.    R.  sea 
from  ENE. 
Wind     variable     and     unsteady. 
Clouds  NE.and  NW. 
Clouds  and  mod.  sea  from  E. 
Pleasant  and  partly  cloudy  during 
the  day. 
Fine  weather.    Clouds  from  N.  and 
NW. 
N.  clouds  and  H.  sea  from  ENE. 
Continual    sheet-lightning    at  SE. 
and  E.    R.,  E'ly  sea. 
Clouds  from  SW.    Mod.  SE.  and  S. 
sea. 
Clouds  from  E.,  L.  sea  from  NNE. 
Mod.    eale    to    fresh    breeze  from 
NNW.  to  NE.    Rain  squalls  first 
part,  clearing  afterwards. 
R.,  NE'ly  sea.   Mostly  fair  weather 
during  the  day. 
Lt.  N'ly  winds  veering  to  SE.  at  6  a. 
m.    R.,  SE.  sea. 
Clouds  and  sea  from  NE.     Water- 
spout at  6.30  p.  m. 
Clouds  and  mod.  sea  from  NE. 
Fresh  gales,  rain,  and  squalls  dar- 
ing night.     Wind  going  S'd. 
Clouds  from  N.    Groundswell  from 
ESE. 
Mod.  gale  and  H.  sea  from  NE. 
Clouds  and  heavy  sea  from  NE. 
Fine  clear  weather,  L.,  E'ly  sea. 
Clouds  and  C.  sea  from  SE. 

Shackford  

Oxford 

Republic  

Davison  
Lewis    

Saraana  

Berrapohl  

State  of  Georgia 

Moodie    

40    . 

c. 
n. 

P- 

o.  c. 
o.q. 

g.u. 

0.  C. 

b. 
b. 
o.  c. 

State  of  Texaa 

Williams 

Ueberweg  
Heeley 

50 

43 

74 

45 

37 
43 
37 
42 

The  Queen      .... 

Thoriihill  

"Wetherell  
Fraser  
Rehse 

Trinidad  

AVerra    

Randle  

March  12,  1888. 


Ailsa  
Andes  
Anna  
Baltimore  ,  

Evans  
Clinksel  
Menkens  
Trenery  
Brady 

32  44 
35  06 
40  38 
40  55 
38  50 

40  43 
34  15 
29  03 

34  20. 
40  23 
36  31 
33  10 
34  10 
39  25 

74  05 
73  30 
56  20 
60  35 
62  16 

66  08 
64  00 
66  07 

76  33 
67  00 
53  20 
78  27 
73  59 
63  39 

WNW. 
NW.byW. 
ENE. 
ENE. 
SE. 

ESE. 
SSE. 
S. 

NW. 

E.by  N. 
NNW. 
NNW. 
NW. 
S.  by  E. 

10 
11 

7-8 

3 
5 
6-7 

10 
8 

9 
8 

29.  85  m. 
29.  79  a. 
30.12m. 
30.  13  m. 
29.  65  m. 

29.  74  a. 

29.  85  m. 
29.  87  a. 

29.  92  a. 
29.  73  a. 
29.  78  m. 
29.  89  a. 
29.  83  a. 
29.  78  m. 

49 

o.  c.  q. 
c.q. 
d.  g. 

0.  C. 

b.c. 
c.g. 

Terrific  gale.    Sea  H.  from  NNW. 
Clouds  NW.    Sea  H.  from  SSE. 
Very  high  cross  sea  from  NE. 
Mod.  ENE.  sea. 
At  4  a.  m.,  wind  veered  to  SE.,  in- 
creasing.     Midnight    SSE.   gale; 
lightning.    Sea  H. 
Clouds  ESE.    Sea  R.  H.  from  E. 
byS. 
Increasing  wind  and  rain.    Afmid- 
night  suddenly  calm.    Bar.  29.33. 
At  3  p.  m.  wind  shifted  to  SE.  and 
grew  stronger. 
Clear  and  cold.    Sea^from  NW. 
Clouds  ENE.     Sea  H.  from  E.  by  N. 
Light  var.  winds;  showery  past  day  . 
Clou3s  NW.  Sea  mod.  from  NNW. 
Clouds  from  NW.    Very  H.  C.  sea. 
Irregular    winds;     confused    seas 
past  day. 

57 
50 

Brooklj'n  City  

Fitt  

Caribbean* 

Catania  

n 

40 
50 

0.  £. 

b. 
o.  c. 
b. 
b.c. 
b.c. 
o.p. 

City  of  Augusta  
City  of  Chester 

Catherine  

City  of  Lincoln  
City  of  San  Antonio... 

Fry  

Wilder 

44 
46 
57 

Henderson  

Dora  

*  Data  obtained  by  interpolation  from  journal  or  storm  report. 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
March  12,  1888— Continued. 


59 


VesaeL                        Master 

Position.                   Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temp, 
of  air 
(Fahr.). 

Weather 
by 

symbols. 

..marks. 

Lat.N    Ixnig.W 

Direction, 
true.    Force, 
Beaufort. 

Edward  E.Barrett*.... 

Tltitrh*** 

0         • 

40  30 
41  40 
41  37 

26  30 
30  52 

40  04 
32  30 

42  04 
27  23 

41  54 
39  00 
34  40 

42  08 
25  45 
40  58 
37  00 

39  16 
39  05 

29  56 
29  40 
40  34 

28  50 
37  00 

3945 

34  20 

3840 
32  22 
40  21 

40  36 

41  24 
31  25 

40  10 

o 
63  30 

51  36 
61  20 

69  00 
75  00 

71  33 
59  20 

55  42 
79  41 

52  07 
73  30 
7520 

60  04 
80  15 
61  12 
70  30 

71  30 
57  22 

72  40 
54  43 

61  19 

80  20 
73  40 

62  55 

74  20 

7400 
64  50 

56  58 

70  50 

56  12 
74  04 

73  20 

• 
E.  by  a 

EXE. 
E. 
S.  by  W. 

vsw. 

W.by  X. 
SW'ly 

NB. 

nrv. 

XE. 

x. 

NNW. 

E. 
SE.  (!) 
E. 
SSE. 

ESE. 
XE. 

NW. 
WNW. 
E. 

XE.by  X 
NW. 

E. 
NW. 

xw. 
ssw. 

EXE. 
E. 

XE.  by  E. 
NW. 

jrw. 

a 

9 

4 

7 
9 

10 

0 

6 

5 
10 

6 
5 

8 

12 

C 

10 

1 

7 

11 

5 

9 

11 
8 
8 

7 
11 

12 

29.  73  a. 
30.  00  a. 
29.96m. 

29.  95  (a). 
29.  90  a. 

29.  26  a. 
•M.  02m. 

30.03m. 
30.  07  a. 

29.95m. 
29.  33  a. 
29.72m. 

30.00m. 
30.«4a. 
30.09m. 
29.  55  a. 

29.56m. 
29.92m. 

29.  94  a. 
30.  09  a. 
29.92m. 

30.  13  a. 

29.  56  a. 

30.72m. 

30.  00  a. 

29.  73  a. 
29.81  a. 
30.  00  a. 

29.  51  m. 

30.  04  m. 
29.  84  a. 

29.60  a. 

0 

Clondlng    up:    bar.  falling;    wind 
freshening  from  E.  to  E.  by  S. 
Clouds  from    EXE.     Sea  H.  from 
EXE. 
Fair.    Cloudless  at  night  ;  overcast 
in  the  morning. 
Mod.  S.  to  SSW.  gale  last  part. 
Strong  gale.   Heavy  rain  daring  the 
night. 
Heavy  WXW.  sea,  terrific  squalls. 
Strong  XW.  gale  and  squally,  fol- 
lowed by  mod.  weather. 
Fresh  gale  for  20  hours.     Strong 
breeze  last  4. 
Broken   sea   from    N.     At    times 
cloudy. 
Mod.  XE.  sea. 
At  4  a.  m.  wind  hauled  to  X. 
SeaRH.    Gale  shifted  by  the  S.  to 
NW.  in  a  heavy  squall. 
Fresh   to   strong   winds   all    day. 
Clouds  and  H.  sea  from  E. 
Lt.  rain  during  p.  m.  ;   clearing.  At 
midnight  gale  from  X. 
Heavy  clouds  from  E.    Sea  H.  from 
EXE. 
At  noon  sudden  shift  to  SW.,  and 
at  2  to  W.  ;  bar.  29.19. 
Lightning  from  NW.  ;  heavy  rain. 
Clonds  from  EXE.  and  E.    Long 
sea  from  NE. 
Gale  from  SE.,  changing  to  XW. 
Stormy. 
Clonds  from  S.    Sea  R.  and  irreg- 
ular in  direction. 
Clouds  from  S.    Fine  breeze  during 
the  day. 
Clonds  NE.     Sea  H.  from  EXE. 
At  10  p.  m.  the  SE.  gale  jumped  to  a 
hurricane  from  XW. 
Clonds  SE.     Heavy  sea  NE.    Un- 
steady  breeze    during    past    24 
hours. 
Strong  gale,  shifting  from  E.  to  S. 
and  to  NW.    Bar.  29.60. 
Clouds  and  heavy  sea  from  NW. 
Kain  and  bad  weather  past  day. 
Clouds  EXE.  and  SE.    Very  heavy 
EXE.  sea. 
Clonds  and  heavy  sea  from  E.  ;  in- 
cessant rain. 
Clonds  and  sea  NE'ly. 
Rough,  cross  sea;  blowing  a  gale 
during  the  day. 
Bar.  falling  steadily.    Wind  rising 
from  5  to  12  XE.  and  ENE.  About 
6  a.  m.  (C.  T.)  suddenly  shifted  to 
NW.,  blowing  a  hurricane. 

40 
45 

0.  C. 

o. 

Elbe  

Meyer  

60 
23 

45 

66 

36 
35 
46 

39 
70 
45 

o  u. 

s-q. 
b. 

o-g. 
d 

b. 

a, 
b.c. 

O.  C. 

d. 

a. 

Hedderwick.. 

Istrian               ......  

Foi            

Vieira  

Gleiir 

Kensett        

Smith  

Stewart 

Lam  pasas  .....  

Crowell  
de  Kersabiec  . 

LidaFowler*     

LordClive  

Urqiihart  
Hughes  

Wiley 

50 
54 

67 
66 
60 
58 

r.  g.  u.  1. 
b.  c.  q. 

c.  u. 

0.  C. 

c-g- 

b.c. 
o.  h.u. 

g- 

b 

o.  m.  q. 
c.g. 

0.  U. 

r. 

o.  c.  q. 
t-q.n. 

Lucy  W.  Snow  

Burgess  
Haggett 

Richardson  .  .  . 
Elliott 

52 

49 

45 
59 

Halsev 

Shackford.... 

Oxford  
Richmond  Hill     

Janes  
Hyde 

40 
49 

Kugia  

Karlowa  
Bermpohl  

Serapia*  

*  Data  obtained  by  interpolation  from  journal  or  storm  report. 


60 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

March  12,  1888— Continued. 


Vessel. 

Master. 

Position. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temp, 
of  air 
(Fahr.). 

Weather 
by 
symbols. 

Remarks. 

Lat.  K. 

Long.  W. 

Direction, 
true.    Force, 
Beanfort. 

Hoodie  

0       1 

42  20 
36  50 
42  30 
41  22 
39  00 
41  06 
26  00 

43  3? 
24  00 
40  37 

0  . 

61  45 
74  30 
68  43 
51  40 
62  30 
65  10 
80  04 

57  24 
60  42 
64  07 

NE. 
NW. 

E.iN. 
NNE. 
SE. 
E.  by  S. 
NW. 

NE.by  E. 
ENE. 
E.  by  N. 

• 
5-6 

11 
7 
5 
6 
6 
4 

6 
3 
5 

SO.  11  a. 
30.  12  a. 
29.  92  a. 
29.  87  a. 
30.  11  a. 
29  74  a. 
30.  05  a. 

30.  25  a. 
30.  17  m. 
29.84m. 

o 
33 

o.  r. 
a. 
o.  u.  z. 
C- 
c.p. 
o.g. 
b. 

o.  s.  q. 
c. 
b.c. 

Wind  E.  till  mid.  ;  force  10-5  ;  then 
shifted  to  SW. 
Strong  SE.  breeze  veering  to  NNW. 
Heavy  thunder  and  lightning. 
Increasing    breeze,    cloudy,    hazy 
weather. 
High  NNE.  sea.    Rain,  snow,  and 
lightning  during  the  day. 
Fresh  NE.  gale,  mod.  at  8  a.  m.,  and 
hauling  to  SE. 
Clouds  from   E.     Mod.   sea   from 
ENE. 
A.  M.,  fresh  gale  and  rain  ;  clearing 
at  noon  ;  evening  drizzling. 
Rough  sea  from  E. 
Clouds  and  mod.  sea  from  EXE. 
Fresh    to    strong    breezes;      clear 
weather  during  the  day. 

State  of  Texas  

AVilliams  
Thompson  
Campbell  
TTeberweg  

Stockholm  City  . 

35 

48 
52 
48 
68 

The  Queen 

Tin  11  nil  ill   

Wetherell  
Rehse  

Wandrahm  

Werra  

41 
49 

Handle  .  .. 

March  13,  1S88. 


Ailsa  

Evans 

35  03 

74  05 

'  WNW. 

10 

29.  87  m. 

37 

Hi  C.  £P  Q. 

Clouds  NW,  and  N     Sea  H  C  from 

NW.  and  WNW. 

Andes  

Clinksel  

30  18 

73  36 

W. 

7 

29.  93  a. 

56 

C. 

Clouds    and   heavy  sea    from    W. 

Three  hrs.  of  rainfall. 

Anita  

Small  

30  33 

80  24 

NNW. 

6 

30.  05  a. 

C. 

Dry  weather.     StroD£  breeze  since 

yesterday  noon. 

Anna 

Menkens 

40  48 

55  37 

ESE. 

g 

29.  77  m. 

57 

O    ET 

Hiffh  rrnss  spa  frn      TVF 

Baltimore 

Trenery  .  

41  10 

65  40 

wsw. 

6 

29.  42  m. 

48 

u.  g. 

Clouds  SSW     Seib 

We. 

Ben^ore  Head 

Brady    .  .  . 

40  56 

59  53 

SE. 

8 

29.  23  m. 

56 

w.  r. 

Nine  a.  m.  to  noon  whole  gale.   Noon 

shifted  to  W.  ;  heavy  rain. 

Benison*  

38  00 

63  00 

WNW. 

8 

29.  55  a. 

Brooklyn  City  

Fitt  

40  50 

63  31 

SW. 

t2 

29.  39  a. 

42 

c. 

Strong  gale,  heavy  squalls  and  rain 

past  day. 

Caribbean*  

Daniel  

35  45 

60  10 

W.  by  N. 

6 

29.  56  m. 

At    1    a.    m.,   increasing    westerly 

breeze.      Noon,    mod.    gale   and 

squall. 

Catania  

Franck 

27  00 

64  05 

N. 

4 

29.  88  a. 

69 

C.  V. 

Morning  to  afternoon,  strong  gale 

from    SSW.,    W.,    NW.    Heavy 

rain.    Fine,  mod.  during  night. 

City  of  Chester  

Lewis  

40  22 

61  00 

E.  &  NW. 

8 

29.  33  a. 

50 

c. 

Clouds  NW.    Cross  sea. 

City  of  Lincoln  

Fry  

34  52 

57  27 

NNW. 

- 

90  SI 

Ci 

Stron**  variable  wind 

City  of  San  Antonio  .  .  . 

Wilder 

31  34 

80  51 

NW. 

3     29.  95  a. 

61 

1). 

Long  swell  from  SSE. 

Colon  

Henderson  

30  23 

73  31 

NW. 

5     29.  97  a. 

59 

c. 

Clear   and    fine;      strong   breeze; 

squally  and  heavy  sea. 

Dora  

Meyer  

39  56 

62  08 

NW. 

5     29.  54  m. 

48 

0. 

Heavy  storm,  hurricane-like  squalls. 

High,  wild  sea  past  day. 

Edward  E.  Barrett*  

Hughes  

40  25 

70  25 

SW. 

7     20.  28  a. 

Rain    and    freshening    wind    and 

squalls  from  E.  by  S.  to  SSE.    At 

7  p.  m.   (C.  T  )   hauled  to  NW., 

mod.  breeze;    then    heavy   W'ly 

snow  squalls  to  midnight.   Barom. 

slowly  rising  during  the  morning. 

Elbe   

Meyer 

43  06 

54  32 

E. 

6     29.82m. 

47 

c. 

Strong  breezes  and  squalls  past  day. 

Faedrelandet  

Brunn  

32  39 

74  57 

NW.  &.SW.    10     29.  92  a. 

57 

g.c. 

Clouds  NW.     Heavy  sea  from  N. 

*  Data  obtained  by  interpolation  from  journal  or  storm  report.  t  Storm  report  gives  force  of  wind  5  all  the  forenoon. 

NOTE.— The  City  of  Lincoln's  observation  was  taken  46  minutes  after  Greenwich,  noon. 


THE  GEEAT  STOKM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
March  13,  1888.— Continued. 


61 


Vesm-l. 

Master. 

Position. 

Wind. 

Barom- 
eter. 

Temp 

of  air 
(Fahr.). 

Weather 
by 
symbols. 

Remarks. 

Lat.N. 

Long.W. 

Direction, 
true.    Force, 
Beaufort. 

Hadley 

o    / 
42  01 

33  20 

26  00 
42  20 
28  26 
42  20 
39  15 

37  00 

42  57 
29  53 

41  28 
38  00 

38  40 

39  35 
26  15 
30  DO 
40  35 

25  00 
37  00 

39  48 
31  18 

38  55 
32  22 
41  03 

49  37 

41  31 
32  40 
39  40 

43  13 
41  09 

38  35 

42  51 

41  05 
39  00 

40  27 
25  15 
44  29 

o     / 
51  53 

60  40 

79  54 
51  40 
79  26 
58  30 
72  50 

74  25 

55  11 
80  30 

51  01 
70  10 

73  00 

52  31 
73  42 
55  22 
66  14 

80  25 
71  50 

60  20 
80  15 

73  40 
64  50 

53  48 

67  05 

50  23 

74  40 
72  40 

55  30 
66  58 

74  46 
66  14 

58  06 
66  50 

69  30 
66  15 
62  42 

ET 

\Y.  by  S. 

N. 
E. 

vnsrw. 

EXE. 
WXW. 

sw. 

E. 

N. 

E. 
W 

WHW. 

E. 
NW 

S. 

sw. 

NNW. 
XX  W. 

irw. 
srw. 

w. 

w. 

ESE. 
S\V. 

If  E.  by  E. 
NW. 
NW. 

E. 
SW. 

NW. 

E. 

SE. 

wsw. 

s\v 
sw. 

E. 

4 

a 

5 
5 
6 
5 
9 

8 
6 

9 

11 

5 
5 
7 
11 

5 
10 

6 

6 

11 
6 
7 

5 

5 
10 
12 

5 

7 

11 
4 

8 
7 

« 
6 
9 

29.  8)  a. 
29.  C8  m. 

30.  08  a. 
29.  91  m. 
30.  05  a. 
29.  89  m. 
29.  26  a. 

29.  71  m. 

29.80m. 
30.  14  «. 

29.  87  m. 
29.  40  a. 

29.47m. 

29.82m. 
30.  04  a. 
29.  79  «. 
29.  49  m. 

30.  13  a. 
29.  56  a. 

29.  37  m. 
30.  15  a. 

29.  43  a. 

2'.64a. 
29.  95  a. 

29.  3_9  m. 

29.90m. 
29.84n. 
29.  32  a. 

Z9.84m. 
29  33  a. 

29.  88  a. 
29.  49  a. 

29.  50  a. 
29.  53  a. 

29.  29  a. 
30.  02  a. 
29.  71  a. 

0 

50 

b.c. 

First  part  clear  ;  fresh  NE.  winds. 
Latter  mod.  ;  E'ly  winds. 
From  tine  weather  tocloudy,  squally 
and  W'ly  gale.    Vivid  lightning. 
Mod.  sea  from  If. 
Mod.  to  fresh  breezes. 
Clouds  NNW  ;  sea  N.  ;  air  clear. 
Clouds  XE.    Sea  smooth. 
High  sea  from  W.  and  N.    Contin- 
uous snow  past  day. 
Clear  weather.    Heavy  puffs  thro'- 
ont  the  day. 
Strong  winds  all  day. 
Fine  weather  ;  fresh  gale  from  NNE. 
past  day. 
Clouds  and  heavy  sea  from  E. 
Heavy  SE.  gale  shifting  instantly 
to  a  SW.  hurricane,  with  snow 
and  hail  at  noon  (12th),  then  haul- 
ing to  W.  and  moderating. 
Tremendous,     confused    sea     and 
heavy  snow  squalls. 
Mod.  and  cloudy  weather  past  day. 
Good  weather  past  day. 
Clouds  W.    Cross  sea.  WSW. 
First  part,  heavy  SE.  gale;  hitter 
part,  heavy  SW.  gale. 
Clouds  NW.  and  N.    Sea  C.,  EXE. 
Bad  weather  ;    terrible  cross  seas 
from  NW.  and  NXE. 
NE'ly  gale  and  squally.    Very  high 
sea  past  day. 
Fine  and  clear.  Heavy  to  fresh  If  W. 
gale  past  day. 
Clouds  W.    Heavy  NW'ly  sea. 
Fine  weather  past  day. 
Clouds  S.  and  ESE.    Rough  broken 
sea,  EXE.  and  ESE. 
Strong  gale  to  fresh  breezes,  with 
little  snow  squalls. 
Clouds  and  rough  EXE'Iy  sea. 
Clouds  NW.    Sea  G.  R.  from  NNW. 
Thick  snow  and  hurricane  from  N"\V. 
all  day. 
Fine  weather  past  day. 
Wind  unsteady  and  var.  between 
S.  and  W.    Snow  showers. 
Rough  NNW.  sea. 
Violent   E'ly  gale.    Terriac  snow 
squalls  past  day. 
Variable,  gloomy  weather  past  day. 
Increasing  to  strong  SE.  gale,  shift- 
ing to  WSW.  at  11.45. 
Clouds  SW.    Sea  R.  from  WSW. 

Strong  gale  all    night  with  much 
rain,  snow,  and  hail. 

Guido  

Echeverria  ... 
Fox  

b. 
c. 
b.c 
o.  m. 

8. 
C. 

b. 
b. 

c.g. 

50 
63 
42 
24 

27 

42 
57 

Vieira 

Gleig 

• 

Smith  .... 

Kemble    . 

Stewart  

Crowell  

de  Kersabiec.. 
Higgins  

Lida  Fowler*  

Lord  Clive  

Crquhart  
Hughes  

16 

57 
68 
70 
34 

58 

0.  8.  <\. 

C. 

C. 

c.q. 

8. 

b. 

g  h.  r.  a. 

c.  n. 
b. 

o.  c.  u. 
b.c. 
c. 

8-q. 
f.c. 

U.  0. 

Lorenzo  D.  Baker  
Lucy  W.  Snow  

Wiley  
Burgess  

Manhattan  

Stevens  
Kichardson  .  .  . 

Elliott 

61 
56 

33 

58 

New  Orleans  

Halsey 

Shackford  .... 
Garvin  

Orinoco  
Oxford  

Richmond  Hill  

Hyde 

31 
35 

Kugia  
Samana  
Serapis*  

Earlowa  
Bermpohl  

Slavonia  

Schmidt 

44 

34 

b. 

B. 

q.s. 
c. 

c.  n. 
c.  s. 

c.  q.  ». 

State  of  Georgia  
State  of  Texas  

Moodie  
Williams 

Stockholm  City 

Thompson  

Campbell  
TTeberweg  

Heeley 

34 

54 
38 

30 

The  Queen  

Wakefield'  
Wandrahm  

Crowell  
Rehse. 

r.  3.  h. 

62 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 
March  13,  1888— Continued. 


Position. 

Wind. 

VcMsrl. 

Master, 

Barom- 

Temp, 
of  air 

Weather 
bv 

Remarks. 

Direction, 

(Fahr  ). 

symbols. 

Lat.  N. 

Long.  W. 

true.    Force, 

Beaufort. 

o    / 

0       ' 

o 

Werra     

40  10 

70  05 

WSW. 

8 

29.  34  m. 

23 

s. 

Variable  and  snowy  weather  past 

day. 

Handle 

40  44 

59  11 

SE.  by  E. 

10 

29.39m. 

57 

rain  squalls  past  day. 

March  14,  1888. 


Ailsa 

87  07 

74  00 

NW. 

10 

29.89m. 

25 

Risk..  . 

25  00 

80  15 

NNW. 

7 

30.  04  a. 

b.q. 

Very  fine,  puffy.    Wind  basking  to 

Klinksel 

26  48 

74  20 

W 

R 

29  97  a 

67 

W'd. 
High  sea  from  West. 

41  16 

54  38 

W.  by  N. 

4 

29.  67  ro. 

57 

r. 

2  p.  m.,  13th,  to  mid.,  whole  gale  from 

Small 

29  34 

75  25 

NW. 

10 

29  89  a. 

E.  ;  then  heavy  rain  squalls. 

39  45 

69  47 

NE. 

T 

29  64  m. 

37 

Clouds  from   W.     Sea,  South  and 

Bengore  Head  

Brad.y  

42  00 

39  00 

56  46 
65  00 

WSW. 

N 

6 

g 

29.33m. 
29  50  a 

59 

b. 

cross. 
Wind  died  away  at  1  p.  m.t  and  was 
var.  all  night.    OKI  sea  E'ly. 
Fresh  gale  backing  from  N  W".  to  W. 

Brooklyn  City  
Caribbean*  

Fitt  
Daniel 

41  26 
37  05 

59  33 
56  05 

WSW. 
WSW 

6 
| 

29.  49  a. 
29  55  m. 

50 

b.c. 

Clouds    SW.     Var.    winds.     Very 
confused  sea. 

Celtic  

44  11 

49  57 

E.  by  N. 

29.  88  m. 

41 

b.  c.  m. 

and  SSW. 

Citv  of  Chester  

40  04 

55  00 

NNW. 

( 

29.  52  a. 

53 

c. 

Clouds  from  NW.    Cross  sea  from 

City  of  Lincoln!    . 

Frv 

32  52 

60  20 

SW 

1 

°9  64  m 

ESE. 

Colon       

26  30 

74  06 

WNW 

', 

30  O9  a 

66 

b. 

Fine  weather.    Mod.  NW.  sea. 

Dora  

39  56 

60  34 

SW  by  W 

5 

29  50  m 

52 

35  00 

74  41 

NW  by  N 

i» 

29  82  a 

46 

past  day. 

France  

Hadley 

41  30 

57  22 

WSW 

5 

29  49  a 

48 

b. 

ing  night.    Passing  fall  of  snow. 

Fnlda  

Ringk  

41  25 

66  13 

WNW. 

4  ."> 

30.  15  m. 

39 

b. 

heavy  rain,  wind  veering  to  WSW., 
ending  fresh  breeze  and  clear. 
Mod.  WNW.  sea. 

34  30 

61  30 

SW  by  S 

4 

29  68  m 

Guido 

29  30 

77  30 

NW  by  W 

7 

29  84  a 

c.  g.  1.    Last  part  clearing  ;  SAV'ly 
wind. 

Vieira 

29  36 

77  15 

NW. 

7 

29.  93  a. 

65 

c. 

Squalls  every  hour. 
Clouds  and  broken  sea  from  NW. 

Kansas  

Gleig  
Smith 

42  25 
39  10 

64  34 

72  00 

NE. 

E 

4 
1 

29.  62  m. 
29.  41  a. 

38 
30 

m. 

Air  very  clear. 
Clouds  from  NE.    Sea  smooth. 

40  10 

73  50 

N. 

1 

29.  CO  m. 

24 

o.  c. 

Gloomy,  with  frequent  snow  squalls; 

Stewart 

43  40 

50  26 

E  by  N 

fi 

29  61  m. 

40 

boisterous  thro'out 

Lampasas  

Crowell  

33  35 

77  55 

NW.  by  W. 

7 

29.  89  a. 

42 

b. 

Fresh  gale  from  NNW.,  backing  to 

38  00 

70  10 

NW  bv  N 

3 

29  80  a. 

NW.  by  W. 

Lord  Clive  ... 

38  58 

74  10 

NW 

fl 

29  77  m. 

18 

the  nighttoa  gentle  NNW.breeze. 
Bar.  rising. 

Lury  W.  Snow  

Bargesa  

30  40 

55  29 

WSW. 

3 

29.  95  a. 

67 

b.  o 

Fair  weather.    Long  NW.  swell. 

*  Date  obtained  by  interpolation  from  journal  or  storm  report. 

f  The  City  of  Lincoln's  observation  was  taken  1  hour  and  20  minutes  after  Greenwich,  noon. 


THE  GREAT  STORM  OFF  THE  ATLANTIC  COAST. 

March  14,  1888— Continued. 


63 


Vessel 

Master. 

Position. 

LatX. 

O      ' 

40  31 
37  10 

41  05 
39  42 

40  15 
32  22 

41  30 

3657 
40  52 
33  45 

42  09 

40  27 
42  38 

40  42 
38  57 

26  58 
44  25 
40  42 

27  00 

Long.  W. 

O  ' 

71  OJ 
70  30 

49  53 
55  24 

73  58 
64  50 

51  20 

75  40 
62  50 
7500 

61  20 

71  53 
63  27 

6246 
70  30 

80  03 
63  42 
54  27 

65  50 

Nan  task  et 

Richardson  .  .  . 
Griffin 

Nederland 

Elliott   
Shackford  ... 

Newport  

Schade 

Richmond  Hill  

Hyde  
Bennpohl  

Schmidt 

State  of  Georgia  

Stockholm  City 

Moodie  
Thompson 

Campbell  
Ueberweg  
Halsey 

St.  Ronans  

Rehse 

Westernland  

Randle 

\Takefield*  

Crowell  

Wind. 


Direction. 

true.     Force, 

Beaufort. 


Barom-     Temp. 
—       &£,. 


NE. 

N. 

E. 
SW. 

NNE. 
W. 

ESE. 

•W. 

E.byN. 
NW. 

tarn. 

E.byN. 

XE. 

K. 
W. 

W. 
NE. 
W. 


Weather 
symbols. 


Bemarks, 


29.  78  m.         37 
29.61  a. 


29.65m. 


42 


29. 50  m.        61 


29.  66  a. 
29.  59  a. 


5     29. 58  a. 


5  29. 87  a. 
3  29. 55  m. 
29.  72  a. 


29.45m. 

29.  60  a. 
29.  60  a. 

29.  50  a. 
29.  70  a. 


32 
54 


37 
42 


31 
33 

55 
31 
60 


30. 15  a, 

29. 72  a 

29. 50  m.        00 


W.  byN.        9     29.87  a. 


Clonds  from  NE.    Rough  SW.  sea. 
g.  h.  r.  s.     Very   bad  weather.     Heavy  cross 

-•  • 
r.         !  Lt.  to  fr.  E.  wind,  clear;  long  XE. 

swell  past  day. 
v.  b-c.      Variable  winds.      High  cross  sea 

past  Cay. 

c.  s.         Rough  X  W.  sea.     Thick  with  snow. 
c.  Clouds    W.    and    NW.     Past   day 

showery  and  squally. 
Strong  gale;  heavy  sea.    Much  rain 

past  day. 

Clonds  and  mod.  sea  X  W. 
b.  c.         Long  X E.sea ;  squally  with  showers. 
High  cross  sea.     W.  and  NW.  gale 

part  day. 
Long   NE.    sea.    Stormy    weather 

past  day. 

s.  q.         Clonds  XXE.    Sea  smooth, 
o.  m.  z.       Mod  wind  :   fog  from  12  hrs.  to  22 

hrs  ,  then  cleared;  fr.  breeze, 
b.          Long  NE.  sea.    Past  day  gloomy 

with  rain  and  lightning. 
b.  c.         Wind  decreasing  gradually  ;  passing 

it.  snow  showers  past  day. 
b.          Smooth  sea;  clear  and  fine  past  day. 
s.  q.         Hod.  NE.  sea. 
b.  c.         Whole  gale  1st  part.    Wind  hauled 

to  W.,  with  mod.  breeze. 
Wind  and  sea  increasing.   At  8  p.m. 
heavy  wind  and  rain  squall  from 
NNW. 


'  Data  obtained  by  interpolation  from  journal  or  storm  report. 


INDEX  TO  NAMES  OF  VESSELS. 


The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  vessels  mentioned  in  this  report,  with  references  to  the  page  or 
pages  where  each  is  mentioned.  Although  not  all  of  these  vessels  encountered  the  storm,  some 
names  appearing  only  incidentally  in  the  text,  yet  a  very  large  majority  of  them  did,  and  all  the 
data  at  hand  from  each  one  of  them  can  be  readily  referred  to  by  means  of  this  index : 


Name. 


Page. 


Abbie  P.  Cranmer 38 

A.B.Crosby  37 

A.C.  Parker .37 

Adam  W.  Spies 40 

A.D.  Bache 57 

A.H.Shaltz 38 

Ailsa 14,40,57,58,60,62 

Alamo 62 

Alaska 14,57 

Alert  37 

Alice  Montgomery 39 

Allie  H.  Belden 38 

AkmzoLee 38 

American  Yacht  38 

Amsterdam .          13 

Andes 14.19,40,57,58,60,62 

Anita 9,41,60,62 

Anna 21,35,37,41,57,58,60,62 

Anna  Brown 38 

A  mm  Peterson 38 

Annie  Jones 38 

Annie  M.  Small 26,41 

Ann  K.  Kodgers 38 

Antietam S8 

Arcot 16,34 

Augusta 38 

Aurania 13 

Baltimore 14,41,57,58,60,62 

Barracoota 57 

BengoreHead 35,57,58,60,62 

Beiiison 14,42,60,62 

Benjamin  C.Cromwell 37 

Bohemia 14,57 

Bratton 38 

Brooklyn  City 13,21,42,57,58,60,62 

Brimiga 37 

Brunette 38 

Buffalo 38  | 

Bulgarian 14,57 

O.  A.  Brown 38 

CaldwellH.  Colt 37 

Cauton 38 

Cape  Charles 38 

Caprice 17, 24, 3.'. 

Caribbean 21, 34,  35, 42,  57,  58,  60, 62 

Caroline 38 

Carrie  M.  Mass 38 

Carthaginian 14,57 

Catania 20,21,42,57,58,60 

Celtic J462 

M 


Name. 


Page. 


Name. 


Page. 


Cement  Bock 37 

Centennial 37 

Charles  M.  White 37 

Charles  H.  Marshall 22,24,42 

City  of  Augusta 14,57,58 

City  of  Chester 13,44,57,58,60,62 

City  of  Lincoln 14,44.58,60,62 

City  of  New  York 10 

City  of  Para 11 

City  of  San  Antonio  14.57,58,60 

Cleveland 38 

C.O.  Dougherty 38 

Colon 14.44,57,58,60,62 

Commodore 38 

Constitution 38 

Cordova 37 

Cornelia 38 

Cortesia 33 

Coryphene 16 

Crosswell 38 

C.  W.Tunnell 38 

Cythera 23,27,39 

Daniel  Brown 38 

Daniel  H.  Mayne  38 

DeoVolente 37 

Dora 45,  57,  58, 60,  62 

Dreadnaught 37 

EarlP.  Mason 38 

Eastern  Light 3S 

Edam 14,57 

Edmund  Blunt 37 

Edmund  Driggs    37 

Edward  Cobb 38 

Edward  Cooper 37 

Edward  E.  Barrett 35, 45, 57,  59, 60 

E.  G.  Irwin 37 

Kc.vpt 14,57,59 

E.  H.  Williams 37 

Elbe 13,57,59,60  ' 

Elizabeths.  Lee 38  | 

Ella 37 

EllaDaris 38 

Ellen  M.  Golder 26,35,45 

Elliott  L.  Dow 38 

El  Monte 14 

Emma 38 

Emma  Jane 37 

Enchantress 23,27,39 

Energy 46,59 

Enoch  Turley 38 


ErlKing 9,14,46 

Esther  Koy 37 

Eva 38 

Eva  Alice 38 

Eva  Lynch 38 

EzraNye 37 

Faedrelaudet 14, 33,  34,  35, 46,  57,  59,  60, 62 

Fanny  Southard 38 

Fashion 3g 

Favorite 37 

Finance 14 

Firefly 38 

Fleetwing 38 

Flora  A.  Ncwcomb 38 

Fly 38 

Flying  Trapeze 38 

Fostino 34 

Frank  Bateman 38 

Frolic 38 

France 14,  61, 62 

Fulda 62 

Furnessia 14,46,57,59 

Galeua 38 

George  J.  Simpson 38 

George  Lewmon 38 

George  L.  Fessenden  .  38 

George  WjJker 17 

Gforgi!  \V.  Anderson 38 

Georgia 38 

Giacomo  Mortola 37 

Gleuburn 7,  9,  21,  35, 46,  57,  59, 61, 62 

Glendevon 9,14,47 

Gracie 37 

Green  Mountain 37 

Greyhound 38 

Guido 61,62 

Gypsy  38 

Harriet,  Ann 38 

Harvoster 38 

Hattie  Estelle 38 

Hazeltiue 37 

Henry  S.  Culver 39 

Henry  Warner 38 

Herald.   47 

Hester  A.  Se ward 38 

Hope 37 

Howard  T.  Leacb 38 

Howard  Williams 37 

Hudson 34 

HughBoltou , 38 


INDEX  TO  NAMES  OF  VESSELS. 


65 


Name. 


Page. 


Name. 


Page. 


Humming  Biid 38 

IdaE.  Latham 37 

Indei 38 

International - 37 

Irene  Crawford 37 

Iroqnois 15,25 

IsaacOrbeton 25 

Isabel  Alberto 38 

Istrian - 57,59,61 

James  Ford 39 

James  S.  Stone 14,34,35 

Jane  Adeline 57 

Job  H.  Jackson 37 

Johanna 26,27,39,48 

JobnF.  Merrow 39 

John  H.  Krantz 25 

JohnJ.Bell W 

John  J.  Marsh 18,48 

John  Proctor 38 

John  Soniers 37 

Julias 57,59,61,62 

Kansas 14,59,61,62 

Kate  Lawson 38 

Kensett 16,57,59,61,62 

Knickerbocker 14, 48, 49, 57. 59, 61,  C2  ! 

Kot'heco ............         37 

LaBourgogne 10 

LadyLisgar 49 

LaGascogne 14,57 

Lake  Superior 57,59,61,62 

Lampasas 59,61,62 

Lancelot 38 

LaNormandie 13,57,59,61 

Lavinia  North 38 

Leading  Breeze 38 

Lester  A.  Lewis 37 

LidaFowli-r 49,59,61,6.' 

Little  Charlie 37 

Little  Dorrit 38 

Little  John 38 

Lizzie ............         38 

Lizzie  Crawford 38 

Lizzie  &  Mirrie 38 

Lizzie  Hayan 37 

Lizzie  V.  Hall 38 

Long  Line 38 

Lord  Clive 14,18,35,49,57,59,61,62 

LordGough 2L57, 59, 61 

Lorenzo  D.  Baker 57,59,61 

Lottie  Stewart 15 

Lncy  W.  Snow 57,59,61,62 

Lucy  V.  Fletcher 38 

Lnln 37 

Lydia 38 

Lydia  Sanderson 38 

Lydian  Monarch 14,  35,  50, 57, 59,  61, 63 

Madura 14,50 

Maidof  Perth 37 

Maggie  Bruce 37 

Manhattan 14,57,59,61 

Mary  C.  Ward 38 


Mary  E.  Coulborn  . 
Mary  E.  Dennis... 

Mary  Heitman 

Mary  McCabe 

Mary  Virginia 

MaudS 

Mayflower 

M.B.  Linscott... 


Name. 


Page. 


37 

37 

38 

38 

37 

37 

Melissa  Trask 15,35 

Messenger 19,36,50 

M.J.  Harden 38 

Mohawk 38 

Mollie  E.  Leonard 38 

Morgan  City 14 

Mount  Vernon 38 

Nantasket 15,35.51,57.59,61,63 

Nausika 39 

Nederland 14,63 

Neptune 37 

Nessmore 51,58,59,61,63 

Nettie 51 

New  Orleans 14,58,59,61,63 

Newport 14, 58, 59, 61, 63 

NonaMay 38 

Nora  Wiggins 18,19,26,51 

Nonna 37 

Normandy 26 

Ocean  Bird 38 

O.  C.Somerg 38 

Old  Dominion    14 

Olive  Branch 9,51 

Oregon 38 

Orinoco 58,59,61,63 

Oxford 58,59,61,63 

Pamet 37 

Patagonia 51 

Paul  &  Thompson 38 

Pavonia 12 

PeterCooper 39 

Phantom 23,27,39 

Phebe 16 

Pocahontas 37 

Polaria 61 

Providence 38 

P.T.Barnnm 37 

Queen 38 

QuiVive 38 

Rachel  Ann  Collins 39 

Rebecca  F.  Lamdin 37 

Rebecca  M.  Smith 38 

Reindeer 11 

Republic 35,58 

Richmond 36 

Richmond  Hill 59,61,63 

Rio  Grande 58 

River  Avon 11 

Roanoke 14 

Roseuberg 35,52 

Rugia 59,61 

Samana 14,34,35,52,58,59,61,63 

Samuel  B.  Hale 52 


S.  A.  Parkhnrst 

Saranak.... ....... 

Sardegna 

Sea  View 

S.  E.  Babcock 

Serapis 

Serene 

Shearwater 

Sla  vonia .. 

Solomon  F.  Kerwin 

Sorrento 

Spartan 

S.  S.Scranton 

S.T.  Muir 

Stadacona 

State  of  Georgia 

State  of  Texas 

Stephen  Chase 

Stockholm  City 

St-Ronans 

Switzerland 

Taniesi 

The  Queen 

Thomas  D.  Harrison  ... 

Thomas  Hooper 

Thomas  R.  Powley 

Thornhill 

Three  Sisters 

Trinidad 

Trojan  (and  tow) 

T.T.  Francis 

Unibria 

Tanadis 

Vineyard 

Vulcan 

Wakefleld 

Wanderer 

Wandrabm 

Warren  B.  Potter 

Warrior 

Welaka 

Wenonah , 

Werra 

Weser 

Westernland 

West  Wind 

W.  H.  Rutan 

Wilhelm  Birkedal 

William  B.  Price 

William  G.  Bartlett 

William  G.  Lewis , 

William  H.  Starbuck... 
Williams  C.  Wickham  , 

William  Schmink 

William  T.  Goldsboro. 

Windsor 

W.  L.  White 

Wm.  Turner 

W.  W.  Story 

Wyanoke , 

i  Zephyr -  — 


37 

52 

10 

..". 38 

37 

.14, 18,  £2,58,59,61 


38 

.14,61,63 
38 
13 
26 
37 


37 

.14,58,60,61,63 
.14,15,58,60,61 


53,60,61,63 

....14,53,60,61,63 
.14,53,58,60,61,63 

38 

14,58,60,61 

37 


38 

.14,58,60 
38 
58 
37 
38 
10 
37 


10 

20,53,61,63 

37 

.14,54,58,60,61,63 

15,26,35 

54 

25 


.10,14,54,58,60,62 

26.27 

.13,54,58,60,62,63 


37 

19,54 
38 
38 
39 

25,55 
37 
38 
38 
37 

23,39 
38 
37 
58 
38 


354G  ST 9 


14  DAY  USE 

RETURN  TO  DESK  FROM  WHICH  BORROWED 

LOAN  DEPT. 

This  book  is  due  on  the  last  date  stamped  below,  or 

on  the  date  to  which  renewed. 
Renewed  books  are  subject  to  immediate  recall. 


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